By means of physiological adaptations that are still not very well understood, s

Question

By means of physiological adaptations that are still not very well understood, sperm whales are thought to be able to hunt for their food at depths of between 440m and 3500m .

A) What range of gauge pressures (in atm ) do the whales withstand at these depths?

B) Estimate the total inward force of water pressure on the surface of a sperm whale at a depth of 3500m , modeling the whale as a cylinder 16 m long and 4 m in diameter.

Express your answer to one significant figure and include the appropriate units.

Explanation / Answer

Force on a whales:

P=F/A

F=P*A

determining the pressure:

P=(specific weight)*(height of water)

Specific weight of seawater is 10250 (N/m3)

P=(10250)*(3500)=35875000 pa

Cylinder project area is a rectangle 16*4 m2

F=(64)*(35875000)=2296000000 (N)

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