Scuba Diving Safety Diving 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A diver surfaces far from the boat in choppy water. What is the FIRST action they should take?
- Establish positive buoyancy and signal for help (Correct answer)
- Remove the weight belt to float higher
- Ditch all gear to swim faster
- Submerge to avoid wave action
Correct answer: Establish positive buoyancy and signal for help
Establishing positive buoyancy (inflating BCD or dropping weights) is the first priority to ensure survival at the surface.
Question 2: Which type of decompression illness involves actual bubbles forming inside joint spaces and causing severe pain?
- Type I DCS (musculoskeletal bends) (Correct answer)
- Type II DCS (neurological)
- Arterial gas embolism (AGE)
- Pulmonary barotrauma
Correct answer: Type I DCS (musculoskeletal bends)
Type I DCS is characterized by joint pain and skin symptoms caused by nitrogen bubbles in tissues and joints.
Question 3: Oxygen toxicity during recreational scuba diving is best prevented by:
- Staying within recreational depth limits (130 ft/40 m max) (Correct answer)
- Breathing slowly to reduce oxygen consumption
- Using nitrox with oxygen percentages above 40%
- Ascending quickly when convulsions begin
Correct answer: Staying within recreational depth limits (130 ft/40 m max)
Staying within recreational depth limits keeps the partial pressure of oxygen below the toxic threshold of 1.6 ATA.
Question 4: What is a 'panic spiral' in scuba diving?
- A sequence where anxiety leads to poor decisions, worsening the situation (Correct answer)
- A controlled emergency ascent technique
- A spiral breathing pattern to reduce air consumption
- A circular search pattern used in lost-diver scenarios
Correct answer: A sequence where anxiety leads to poor decisions, worsening the situation
A panic spiral occurs when stress triggers rapid, poor decisions that escalate the problem, often leading to fatal outcomes.
Question 5: If a diver's dry suit inflator becomes stuck open, what is the correct response?
- Disconnect the inflator hose and vent the suit manually (Correct answer)
- Remove the weight belt to counteract over-inflation
- Ascend rapidly to reduce suit volume
- Switch to a backup BCD and ignore the suit
Correct answer: Disconnect the inflator hose and vent the suit manually
Disconnecting the inflator hose stops further gas flow, and the diver can vent the suit through the exhaust valve.
Question 6: What is the maximum partial pressure of oxygen (PPO2) recommended for recreational nitrox diving?
- 1.4 ATA during the dive, 1.6 ATA as an absolute ceiling (Correct answer)
- 1.0 ATA at all times
- 2.0 ATA for exposures under 10 minutes
- 1.8 ATA as a working limit
Correct answer: 1.4 ATA during the dive, 1.6 ATA as an absolute ceiling
NOAA and most training agencies set 1.4 ATA as the working PPO2 limit, with 1.6 ATA as the never-exceed ceiling.
Question 7: A diver notices their buddy is not responding and is sinking slowly. What is the first step in the in-water rescue?
- Establish buoyancy for the unresponsive diver (Correct answer)
- Immediately begin CPR underwater
- Signal the boat and wait for assistance
- Remove the victim's weight belt and BCD
Correct answer: Establish buoyancy for the unresponsive diver
Establishing positive buoyancy stops the sinking and brings the victim to the surface where rescue breathing and CPR can begin.
Scuba Diving Safety Diving 3
A diver surfaces far from the boat in choppy water.
What is the FIRST action they should take?