Ocean water pressure is the effect of the weight of water pushing down. Pressure is a force that you can feel.
Water pressure in the ocean follows certain rules. There is a relationship between water pressure and ocean depth. Depth measures how deep something is.
Based on the picture of the styrofoam cups, do you think water pressure is greater at the surface or deep in the ocean?
If you guessed that water pressure is greater deep in the ocean than at the surface, then you're correct!
If you guessed that the small syrofoam cup was under greater pressure, then you're correct!
The relationship between ocean water pressure and ocean depth is this:
The greater the ocean depth, the greater the water pressure.
That means that the deeper you are in the ocean, the more water pressure you feel.
Check out the graph below for a visual representation of this relationship.
This is another representation of the relationship between ocean water pressure and ocean depth.
The greater the ocean depth, the greater the water pressure.
If you dove down 6ft into the water, would the pressure be greater or less than the surface (0ft?). Share your answer with a partner.
You just learned some new knowledge about water pressure! You're on your way to becoming an expert about ocean water pressure!
