Water, like any other material, can indeed be compressed to some extent. The extent to which water can be compressed depends on its bulk modulus, which measures its resistance to compression. The bulk modulus of water is approximately 2.2*10^9 Pascals, or 20,000 atmospheres.
To put this into perspective, let’s consider the pressure exerted by the weight of the water itself. One atmosphere of pressure is roughly equivalent to the pressure exerted by a column of water that is about 10 meters in height. This means that for every 10 meters of depth in a body of water, the pressure increases by approximately one atmosphere.
Now, if we want to achieve a compression of 1% in water, we need to apply a pressure of about 1% of the bulk modulus. In this case, it would be approximately 200 atmospheres. So, to compress water by 1%, you would need to subject it to a pressure of roughly 200 times the atmospheric pressure.
It’s important to note that this level of compression is quite significant and would require extreme conditions. In everyday situations, we don’t usually encounter such high pressures that would cause noticeable compression in water.
However, there are instances where water can be compressed to some degree. For example, in deep-sea environments where the water pressure is significantly higher than at the surface, water experiences compression due to the weight of the water column above it. At great depths, the water becomes denser and slightly compressed compared to surface water.
In my personal experience as a scuba diver, I have witnessed this compression firsthand during deep dives. As I descended to greater depths, I could feel the increasing pressure on my body, and the water itself seemed denser and more resistant to movement. This compression effect is also noticeable when diving into freshwater lakes or reservoirs that have significant depth.
To summarize, water can be compressed, but the extent of compression depends on the applied pressure. The bulk modulus of water indicates its resistance to compression, and achieving noticeable compression would require extremely high pressures. In everyday situations, we do not encounter conditions where water undergoes significant compression, but in deep-sea environments or during deep dives, water can experience slight compression due to the weight of the water column above it.