PADI Diving Theory & Safety 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the recommended action if a diver becomes negatively buoyant and begins sinking uncontrollably?
- Drop the weight belt and inflate the BCD (Correct answer)
- Swim hard toward the surface
- Signal the buddy and wait for assistance
- Exhale completely to reduce weight
Correct answer: Drop the weight belt and inflate the BCD
Dropping the weight belt instantly reduces negative buoyancy and combined with BCD inflation allows rapid controlled ascent.
Question 2: How does water temperature affect a diver's gas consumption?
- Warm water increases consumption, cold water decreases it
- Cold water increases consumption due to shivering and greater effort (Correct answer)
- Temperature has no effect on gas consumption
- Cold water decreases consumption because less energy is needed
Correct answer: Cold water increases consumption due to shivering and greater effort
Cold water increases gas consumption because the body works harder to stay warm through shivering and heat production.
Question 3: A diver's mask floods during a dive. The correct technique to clear it is to:
- Ascend immediately to the surface
- Tilt the head back and exhale through the nose while pressing the top of the mask (Correct answer)
- Remove the mask completely and replace it
- Signal distress and wait for buddy assistance
Correct answer: Tilt the head back and exhale through the nose while pressing the top of the mask
Tilting the head back and exhaling through the nose creates positive pressure that expels water out through the bottom of the mask skirt.
Question 4: What is the PADI recommended maximum depth for recreational divers using air?
- 18 meters (60 feet)
- 30 meters (100 feet)
- 40 meters (130 feet) (Correct answer)
- 50 meters (165 feet)
Correct answer: 40 meters (130 feet)
PADI sets the recreational diving limit at 40 meters (130 feet) for qualified Open Water divers using air.
Question 5: Which hand signal indicates 'I am OK' when used underwater between buddy pairs?
- Thumbs up
- A circle formed with thumb and index finger (OK sign) (Correct answer)
- Open palm facing the buddy
- Two fingers pointed downward
Correct answer: A circle formed with thumb and index finger (OK sign)
The OK signal underwater is the circle formed with thumb and index finger; thumbs up means 'ascend' or 'end the dive'.
Question 6: A diver with a dive computer showing 'deco' on the display should:
- Ascend immediately to the surface
- Perform the required decompression stop(s) before surfacing (Correct answer)
- Switch to a backup computer and ascend
- Descend slightly deeper to reset the NDL
Correct answer: Perform the required decompression stop(s) before surfacing
A 'deco' indication means mandatory decompression stops are required; the diver must complete them at the indicated depth before surfacing.
Question 7: What is the primary reason PADI recommends diving with a buddy?
- To share the cost of equipment rental
- To assist in an emergency and provide mutual safety (Correct answer)
- To meet the minimum group size required by dive operators
- To ensure correct navigation back to the entry point
Correct answer: To assist in an emergency and provide mutual safety
The buddy system provides mutual assistance and emergency response capability, dramatically improving diver safety in critical situations.
PADI Diving Theory & Safety 5
What is the recommended action if a diver becomes negatively buoyant and begins sinking uncontrollably?