[Phys-L] Re: ear pressure

[Karl Trappe <trappe@PHYSICS.UTEXAS.EDU>]

Anthony:  I don't have a real number for actually damaging the ear
drum, but it is not a lot.  It is a pressure *difference* that
eventually blows the eardrum.  That's why it is critical to learn to
"equalize" as a scuba diver goes down, even every few feet.  My own
scuba instructors set the world scuba depth record. If I recollect
correctly, he, went just short of 1000 feet, and she went around 775
feet, in a sink hole in Mexico.  Clearly, they had to equalize to
prevent the pressure difference from doing damage.

Ear popping in  plane rides is similar. Many passengers chew gum
because they have not learned to equalize the pressure easily.  Some
scuba divers take aspirin before diving to thin the blood enough to
make it easier.

I imagine that pilots do the same, or do not pass flight school.
Sorry for ansufficient answer. Karl


> I know that humans can withstand accelerations of around 7 g's before
> passing out, and that fighter pilots often wear G suits to handle up to 9
> g's or so. I'm now teaching fluids, and a student asked what pressures the
> human body (specifically, the ear) can withstand. Does anyone know these
> limits when going under water (ear drum pressing inward), or rising in the
> atmosphere (ear drum pressing outward?


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