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Scuba
S.C.U.B.A. = Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Here is all the information you need to learn and be safe while enjoying this great sport. Explore the last frontier and uncharted depths in the S.C.U.B.A. category.
999 Questions
How do you spell scuba diving in french?
It's Faire de la plongee, however, to specify that it is scuba diving and not snorkel diving, it's faire de la plongee sous marine.
Will scuba diving turn you gay?
Yes. The chemical imbalance inside your brain when diving at deep depths and then returning to surface is proven to cause gaydom. (see msgt hall for further questions)
Where is the best place to go for a warm diving holiday in December?
There are many places. But the two witch are my favourites are Jerves Bay and the Entrance. (New castle and wolongong are also great)
enough to know that we will never be able to fully explore the ocean in a 1000 years.
Most divers breathe compressed air whilst diving, and so do not normally need to consider oxygen levels except in relation to extremely deep diving.
However, many divers also breathe an oxygen enriched mixture called "Nitrox" to enable them to dive longer with incurring decompression penalties due to the build up of nitrogen in their tissues.
However, Nitrox carries its own risks. If a diver breathes a mix which is too rich in oxygen for a certain depth, she may black out due to oxygen toxicity.
To ensure that this does not happen, Nitrox divers are trained never to breathe gas mixes where the partial pressure of oxygen is greater than 1.4 ATA (atmospheres absolute).
To calculate the partial pressure of oxygen, one simply multiplies the percentage of oxygen in the gas by the pressure at depth. So at the surface breathing air (which is 21% oxygen at 1 ATA), we are breathing 0.21 ATA. However, if we were breathing a mix of 36% Nitrox at a depth of 99 feet (so, 32% oxygen multiplied by 4 ATA (the absolute pressure at 99 feet), we are breathing oxygen at 1.28 ATA. Still safe, but getting much closer to the limit of 1.4 ATA.
The formula can be reversed to work out the maximum depth at which you can safely dive on a particular mix of Nitrox. The maximum depth (D) can be calculated using this formulae:
D = 33 x ((1.4 / FO2) - 1)
Where FO2 is the fraction of oxygen in the mix (D is calculated in feet, to change the formula for meters, use 10 instead of 33). So for example, if the diver wanted to use 50% Nitrox, then D = 33 x ((1.4 / 0.50) - 1) = 59 feet.
The limit of 1.4 ATA is recommended by NOAA, but it is not an absolute limit. Although the science is not exact, NOAA suggests that a diver can breathe oxygen at 1.4 ATA for 150 minutes (2.5 hours) without blacking out. However, for richer mixtures, that time drops exponentially. A diver can only breathe oxygen at 1.6 ATA in diving conditions for approximately 45 minutes before blacking out.
Describe the buoyant force and explain how it relates to Archimedes' law?
Archimede's Principle states that the buoyant force that an object experiences when immersed in water is equal to the weight of the water displaced by the object.
What does decompression mean in diving?
There are 2 possible answers. One is a simple answer to what is decompression in diving. The answer to that is simply ascending back to the surface. Any time pressure is reduced (i.e swimming shallower), the diver is decompressing. So many divers will say that all dives are decompression dives since that is an accurate description. The other possible answer is what is decompression sickness or illness. This occurs when a diver has not adequately decompressed back to the surface. In recreational diving, actual decompression stops are not required even though a "safety" stop or stops are always recommended. The purpose of the stops is to allow some of the inert gas absorbed during the dive from breathing (which is nitrogen for air or oxygen enriched air mixtures) to be released from the body prior to surfacing so the extra nitrogen does not result in "too many" bubbles. Bubbles can occur since air is comprised of roughly 79% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. Nitrogen is an inert gas since it does nothing other than just sitting there (as compared to oxygen that is metabolized and used) ... so nitrogen can build up during a dive due to the pressure on the body from being underwater. Bubbles result in tissues after almost every dive, but the body can handle them nicely, so it is excessive or too many bubbles that become a problem. The same answer applies to dives that are planned decompression stop dives that technical or commercial divers do. These dives will require stops at multiple depths to reach the surface again often using multiple different decompression gases during the different stops to accelerate the decompression times. The longer the dive, the longer the required decompression due to greater absorption of inert gas. But if adequate decompression is not done, then bubbles will form in body tissues which will result in decompression sickness commonly known as the bends ... which requires treatment in a recompression chamber ... to recompress the diver and make the bubbles smaller so they can be reabsorbed by the diver during the treatment. See the links below for some other articles on decompression and diving.
What is heavier a steel tank or aluminum tank?
steel because of the sheer amount of mass in the steel it is an obvious win
Improved AnswerIt depends on the tank size, but in general steel is lighter out of the water. This is because steel is stronger than aluminum and you don't need as much metal to hold the pressure. If you put a steel tank next to an aluminum you will notice the steel is a smaller size for size even though it holds the same amount of gas. The aluminum tank is larger since it needs more metal to hold the pressure and thus is heavier. But steel is also more negative in the water so you can take some weight off your weight belt too.
What scuba depth is safe without a stop in case of emergency?
The recreational scuba dive depth limit is 130 feet. Keep in mind that skipping safety stops and avoiding decompression commitments is a function of depth AND time as well as each person's physiology individually. If you stay at almost any reasonable depth long enough you can push yourself into a decompression commitment. Normal divers on a single cylinder usually would run out of air before they build up enough of a nitrogen load but it is possible.
Why is lead used in weightbelts?
Lead is heavier then steel but not as expensive as gold ( the heviest metal)
The advantages and disadvantages of aluminum?
Aluminum tanks have a standardized width, and are much cheaper and lower maintenance than steel, as they will not rust. Yes, even stainless steel tanks will rust if any water gets in them, as not much won't in 3000 psi. However, they typically wear out more quickly (20+ years, but indefinite for steel) and they weigh less - you would think this would be a plus, but it's not cause you need more weight to make up for it.
Addition
Steel tanks are actually lighter out of the water (since aluminum is a softer metal which requires there to be more aluminum than steel in a scuba cylinder) and more negative in the water (so you need less weight).
Dental bridges and scuba diving?
If you mean similar to braces or Invisalign, you can dive with them on. I dive with them, and they don't cause a problem at all. If you mean other dental bridges, I'm not sure, you would have to ask your dentist.
How rifting and accretion change the shapes of continents?
they can increase or move the size of the continents
Can SCUBA divers fart at depths?
Yes, you can fart at depth with no ill effects. In fact it shud be easier to fart. Have you ever realised how you burp after swimming, or surface diving? Its easy to burp at depth, but farting is slightly different, it is a mainly hydrogen sulphide and methane, and is created by bacteria inside the digestive sytem
not looking after it and following the after care procedure, and picking the scabs.
Gauge pressure at depth of 20.4 is?
20.4 what? !! The guage pressure measures the pressure within the air tank. The air tank has a given volume with an amount of gas squeezed into it. That pressure only reduces as you let the gas out (unless you put the tank under enough pressure so that IT reduces in size, compressing the gas within even further). Do more training as your question is out of context and shows a lack of understanding for the basics of the subject.
Where can you find boat ramps?
Most local maps of waterways show boat ramps. Check with the local tourist information to obtain a map.
Can women wear male wetsuits and other then size is there a difference between them?
Yes a woman can wear a male wetsuit. Tho the fit will be off in places. Arms, legs or torso to long, or the chest or hip areas are tight.
A woman's wet suit give more room in the chest and hip area for the size than a male's suit. Also the arms and legs are more in proportion for the length.
ANSWER ADDITION
While a woman can wear a man's wetsuit, it's not always the best solution. As most women have a greater surface area to volume ratio than men, they tend to chill down faster. As women also generally have a less planar body shape, as well as a more unique and individual one, it becomes rarer and rarer for women to find a wetsuit that fits off the rack. much less one designed for a man's body. Add bad fit to more radiant surface and you get one uncomfortable diver.
Today's newer suits are lots more flexible, so women have a far better chance of finding an off-the-rack suit that fits today than in 1970. That said, fit is critical for comfort and warmth, so a custom suit is not unusual.
Trying to fit into a man's suit may work, but the odds are far worse. And therefore the chances for a safe and comfortable dive are worse and worse.
What are the advantages or disadvantages of steel vs aluminum scuba diving tanks?
How frequently is it safe to scuba dive?
If you're a certified diver, you should have a dive table to figure out how many dives you can make safely within a certain time frame. There are several factors to consider: Depth of dives, length of dives, time between each dive, conditions, health, whether you'll be flying before or after the dives.
If you don't have a table and are still not sure, any dive center should be able to help you calculate the maximum dives for a given time frame.
Addition
While you should never be aggressive in your diving, it is well documented that you become less susceptible to decompression sickness the more you dive over time.
What kind of regulator works with an IDI Ballistic BCD?
The BCD (buoyancy compensator/control Devise) low pressure line is connected to the second stage of the regulator. International Divers Incorporated devises are compatible with other manufacturers of two stage diving equipment.
Addition
Any regulator will work. It is not the regulator, but the size of the low pressure inflator hose. The low pressure inflator hose can simply be changed if there is a size (fitting) issue. This should not be an issue unless you bought a used regulator where the previous owner used a different inflator on their BCD such as an inflator you can breath from (which often has a larger diameter inflator connection).
