Opening Disclaimer

Ok it has begun 3/2/05. For future visitors this site is based on helping scuba diving students learn the scuba basics. This will take me a while, im a 15 yr. old student trying to do school sports and diving at the same time, not to mention this website. If you know what you are doing in scuba i could use a partner...or even if you are good at using computers you might be eligable (not sure if i spelled that right). Well wish me luck. Ok for the record, before someone kills themself or something, i dont want to be liable. So you know, all the information provided on this website is for informational purposes only. This site on its own, does not in any way qualify you as a scuba diver. You must first complete a scuba certification course (i reccomend NAUI but PADI is sufficient, but dont go PADI if you dont have to). Ok now that you have seen this we can get into the actual stuff. Ok lets start with our first lesson. Gas laws. Gases are one of the most essential things to pay attention to in scuba diving. The simplest gas law that we are concerned about is Boyle's gas law. As you go deeper in water, the pressure per square inch increases. Namely every 33fsw (feet of sea water) pressure equal to one atmosphere is added. Say you are at 66fsw the pressure that is "on top" of you equals 3atm (atmospheres) which basically tells you that you will consume air 3 times faster than you do at the surface. Another important thing that this law does is to let us know that we are absorbing nitrogen at a rate that is 3 times faster than that at the surface. Because now 3 nitrogen particles are taking up the space that only 1 particle should occupy at the surface. Say you go up without going 30fpm and making a safety stop, this absorbed gas will not have enoug time to escape your body's tissues, and will expand where it will posibly cause a clot and lead into the BENDS. This information is only a VERY simplifyied text that is intended to make your mind "Click" if you are having trouble understanding Boyle's law.