SCUBA Diving Tank Pressure

Scuba tanks are filled with compressed air, which is composed of 21 percent oxygen and 79 percent nitrogen. The air pressure inside scuba diving tanks is measured by the pressure the tank is rated for.

  1. PSI

    • As the air is compressed into the tank, the pressure inside the tank increases. The air pressure found in recreational scuba tanks ranges from 2,250 to 3,400 pounds per square inch (PSI) or 170 to 200 bars.

    Pressure Gauge

    • To measure the amount of air pressure in the tank, the diving regulator contains a submersible pressure gauge. This pressure gauge lets you know how much air pressure is in the tank while diving.

    Significance

    • In order to breathe the pressurized air in a scuba tank, the recreational diving regulator contains a first stage that attaches to the scuba tank. This reduces the high pressure air inside the tank to an intermediate pressure needed for comfortable breathing.