I appreciate that many of us have become restless with this post. When I used to watch Young Scientist of The Year, I picked up many tips.
Sam wrote: And water is compressible but had very little to do with any of this. Which confuses me as Jim stated he didn't understand the influence of air pressure on water pressure, then went on to try and lecture me on hydraulic systems
Someone also said solids are incompressible...... Lectures on electron degeneracy pressures by PM only because I'm bored now....
Sam regarding your post above. I did say that to all intents and purposes, water is not compressible. I'll stick to that. My examples in connection with hydraulics were intended to demonstrate that point.
I have done a little sum on the effects of barometric pressure. I've calculated the pressure (100mb) at a depth of 1 metre, I hope that it's correct. These figures are approximate. I've carried out these calculations in millibar because that's what the weather forecasters use to describe lows and highs.
Atmospheric pressure is assumed to be 1000mb
at one metre depth water pressure is 100mb
A fish feels the combined pressure 1100mb
If atmospheric pressure drops to 950mb
Water pressure at 1 metre is constant at 100mb
A fish feels a combined pressure 1050 mb
A drop in pressure on the fish of 1050/1100 about 5%
If atmospheric pressure increases to 1050mb
Water pressure at 1 metre is constant at 100mb
The fish feels the combined pressure of 1150mb
An increase in pressure on the fish of 1150/1100 about 5%
If the fish were at 2m, the water pressure would be 200mb and the pressure change on the fish, based on a low of 950mb or high of 1050mb would result in a drop or increase of about 6%.
This shows that the bulk of the pressure difference on a fish is down to changes in atmospheric pressure rather than the depth the fish is at. This wasn't obvious to me, but quite interesting. If these sums are correct, and I'd be grateful for anyone to check them, then this may explain one or two observations of fish behaviour.