Is it possible to change the density of water in order to swim faster in this water?

Question

Hello,

I was wondering if it is possible to change the density of water in order to swim faster in this liquid. Or, a slightly different question, is there any liquid or substance that is easier to swim in, and would, if pumped into the olympic swimming pool, result in new world records :-)?

Answer 1

Salt water makes you more buoyant.  For instance, if you swim in the Great Salt Lake in Utah or the Dead Sea in the Middle East (both have VERY high salt content) if feels almost as if you are sitting in a chair.  You can float on your back and read a magazine without sinking.

Whether or not that would make your swim speed faster or not, I can't be sure, but I could imaging that to some extent that the energy you expend to keep yourself afloat would be converted into energy that would propel you forward faster, thereby giving you an advantage.

Just a few thoughts - interesting question!

Answer 2

You're referring to the Olympics of course.

What the Chinese did was to make the pools much deeper than in recent years.  This reduces the ripple effect and enables the swimmer to swim faster.  

You may have also noticed the suits the swimmers are wearing.  These are made from a special material which acts like a shark skin being totally frictionless in the water.

That's why more records are being broken.

Answer 3

Your reasdoning sounds good to me.