The Cartesian diver is a simple apparatus which is presented often in science fairs. It is used to illustrate the hydrostatic principles of Archimedes and Pascal. However the apparatus simplicity leads in general to an oversimplification description of the experiment. Even some textbooks give incomplete explanations. Another common misconception is to associate Cartesian divers with submarines. The Cartesian diver is very similar to another kind of subaquatic equipment older then the submarines the diving bells. In this work, the practical aspects and the theoretical description of the experiment are treated in details.
submarine; pressure; Pascal's principle; Archimedes's principle
