Physics lessons under the sea

A group of 13 physics students from San Andrea Senior School chose the best way possible within their reach to learn more about pressure in a diving experience to remember.

After assembling at the Maltaqua diving centre to prepare the equipment, they watched a 20-minute film explaining what the dive would be like and the hand signs used to communicate underwater. This was followed by a physics lesson on air pressure in the cylinders, the difference between pressure on land and underwater and how this would affect the diver.

The dive itself took place at Ta' Fra Ben, with the students being paired up and an instructor assigned to each pair.

Each dive took about 30 minutes and each group descended deeper and deeper into the water throughout the first 10 minutes up to a depth of about four metres. "The dive was an amazing experience. Some of us had already been to diving before but still enjoyed this time since we were with our friends. Apart from all the fun that we had, we also had the opportunity to experience the theory learnt in class in a real-life situation. This will surely help us keep in mind this topic even more," school captain Jennifer Attard said.