• Question: why do you weigh more in air than water?

    Asked by maariyah to Indi, Jarv, John, Ken, Vicky on 14 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: Vicky Young

      Vicky Young answered on 14 Mar 2012:

      We don’t change weight, its just the forces of the water that make us lighter.

      I think Jarvist might have a more indepth answer than me as he does the physics so this is his department!

    • Photo: Jarvist Moore Frost

      Jarvist Moore Frost answered on 14 Mar 2012:

      Vicky’s absolutely right, we weigh the same, but in water we’re displacing almost exactly the same mass of water as we are ourselves, and as you’re evenly supported you don’t have to support this weight with your skeleton and muscles. So it feels just like you’re weightless, you can hold your arm straight out and it doesn’t get tired.

      I really like being neutrally buoyant and feeling weightless – it’s one the things I really enjoy about diving, when you’re just there hovering above the seabed!

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