The pressure at the bottom of the Mariana Trench can be calculated using the formula:
Pressure = Atmospheric Pressure + (Density of Seawater × Gravitational Acceleration × Depth)
Given:
- Depth of the Mariana Trench = 10,910 meters
- Gravitational Acceleration (g) = 9.81 m/s²
- Atmospheric Pressure at sea level = 1.01 × 105 Pa
- Density of Seawater ≈ 1,025 kg/m³
Now, substituting the values into the formula:
Pressure = 1.01 × 105 Pa + (1,025 kg/m³ × 9.81 m/s² × 10,910 m)
Calculating the hydrostatic pressure:
Hydrostatic Pressure = 1,025 × 9.81 × 10,910
This gives:
Hydrostatic Pressure ≈ 1,025 x 9.81 x 10,910 ≈ 110,000,000 Pa
Now adding the atmospheric pressure:
Total Pressure = 1.01 × 105 Pa + 110,000,000 Pa ≈ 110,101,000 Pa
Thus, the pressure at the bottom of the Mariana Trench is approximately 110,101,000 Pascals, or about 1,101 times the standard atmospheric pressure at sea level.
This immense pressure is one of the reasons why very few organisms can survive at such depths, and it presents significant challenges for deep-sea exploration.