PADI PADI Dive Planning & Dive Tables 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to the PADI RDP, what happens if a diver exceeds the no-decompression limit (NDL)?
- The dive becomes a decompression dive requiring a mandatory stop (Correct answer)
- The diver must immediately surface
- The letter group resets to A
- The dive is automatically safe if ascent is slow
Correct answer: The dive becomes a decompression dive requiring a mandatory stop
Exceeding the NDL turns the dive into a decompression dive, requiring a mandatory decompression stop that recreational divers are not trained for.
Question 2: In PADI multi-level dive planning, why is it important to start at the deepest depth?
- Deeper depths consume the NDL faster, so planning deep-to-shallow is safest (Correct answer)
- Visibility is always better at depth
- The dive computer works more accurately at depth
- It reduces the required surface interval
Correct answer: Deeper depths consume the NDL faster, so planning deep-to-shallow is safest
Starting at the deepest point and ascending gradually is the safest profile because it minimizes nitrogen absorption by moving to shallower depths over time.
Question 3: What does 'actual bottom time' refer to when using the PADI RDP?
- Total elapsed time from descent to beginning the ascent (Correct answer)
- Time spent at maximum depth only
- Time spent below 60 feet
- Time from surface to surfacing
Correct answer: Total elapsed time from descent to beginning the ascent
Actual bottom time is the total time from the start of descent until the diver begins the final ascent.
Question 4: When using the PADI RDP for a repetitive dive, what is Total Bottom Time (TBT)?
- Residual Nitrogen Time plus Actual Bottom Time (Correct answer)
- Actual Bottom Time minus surface interval
- The NDL of the second dive only
- The sum of all surface intervals
Correct answer: Residual Nitrogen Time plus Actual Bottom Time
Total Bottom Time equals Residual Nitrogen Time (RNT) added to the Actual Bottom Time (ABT) of the repetitive dive.
Question 5: Which condition would cause a diver to automatically start at pressure group Z on the RDP?
- No conditions — Z is the maximum limit and requires a long surface interval (Correct answer)
- Making a dive deeper than 130 feet
- Skipping a safety stop
- Diving without a buddy
Correct answer: No conditions — Z is the maximum limit and requires a long surface interval
Pressure group Z represents the maximum residual nitrogen level; a diver reaching this group must wait until they drop to a lower group before diving again.
Question 6: According to PADI, what is the recommended maximum ascent rate during a recreational dive?
- 18 meters (60 feet) per minute or slower (Correct answer)
- 30 meters per minute
- 9 meters per minute
- No limit if a safety stop is done
Correct answer: 18 meters (60 feet) per minute or slower
PADI recommends ascending no faster than 18 meters (60 feet) per minute to allow safe nitrogen off-gassing and reduce DCS risk.
PADI PADI Dive Planning & Dive Tables 2
According to the PADI RDP, what happens if a diver exceeds the no-decompression limit (NDL)?