PADI DM course physics summary?

[halocline]

I can't believe some of the replies here, GET OFF THE GUY'S BACK!

He's trying to understand some pretty complicated material. I use analogies to simplify concepts all the time, and I teach stuff that's way more abstract than recreational diving. And in terms of explaining these concepts to students in the future, especially in a situation where a student asks a DM about something during a OW session, a simple "bumper sticker" response that provides some insight is exactly what you need. Try a long winded "I'm so smart you'll never understand me" explanation and watch the student tune out and the instructor get annoyed.

Talk about self righteous. And the bit about "competent and knowledgeable with students", believe me most of the PADI instructors I know could very easily be stumped by some of the material in the encyclopedia. It's a reference book, not an exam guide. You're not supposed to know everything in there from memory.

I don't know who's taking the test, mksmith or naplestreasures, but I would encourage you to do as many of the practice problems as possible and try to apply the concepts in real-life scenarios, or examples of possible ones, in order to better understand the underlying physics. Find someone who's kind of a science geek and a nice guy, and that person will help you.

 

[AzAtty]

For the exams, you need to understand how to apply Archimedes' Principle, the General Gas Law, Dalton's Law, and Henry's Law to specific circumstances. You also need to understand when you do not have sufficient information to answer a given question. Analogies can help you understand what and why a particular event is observed, but they will not necessarily tell you how to crunch the numbers (which is what you need to do on the exams).

For example, to explain why sound travels faster through water than through air, you could place two marbles (or weights, or whatever you have handy) a certain distance apart. Place another set of marbles (or whatever) a greater distance apart. Ask the student whether it will take more time for an ant to walk between the closer objects or the more distant objects. The student will, of course, answer that it will take less time to move between the closer objects. Then tell the student that the ant represents a sound wave, and the closer objects represent water molecules, and the more distant objects represent air molecules. Voila! You've provided a visual explanation why water transmits sound faster--the molecules are closer together (substance is denser) than air molecules. But that exercise will not tell you anything about the mathematics involved or how to determine transmission speed through the medium.

If there are specific issues you have with the physics, you should consider joining the "Going Pro" forum for answers to your questions from instructors, DMs and DMCs. JoeDiver's study guide provided early in the thread, for example, is found in that section, along with responses to physics questions. Here is an example of the kinds of hints you can find in the "Going Pro" section dealing specifically with physics.

 

[scubadada]

Is there anyone out there who will summarize exactly what parts of the rec diving encycl physics and physiology are most important to study for testing purposes?

The OP asked for a summary of information to simplify the task of studying for the exam, some would and did interpret that as a shortcut. A thorough understanding of a topic allows for the most flexibility in responding in an exam situation and in attempting to teach the topic to others. It often requires many different teaching methods (including analogy) to reach the majority of individuals in your audience, especially when the topic is relatively complex. I have been teaching Medicine for 28 years and find the challenge both enormous and gratifying.

Good diving, Craig

 

[don Francisco]

If you get out of the Scuba world for a moment you'll be aware of all the controversy about testing, and "teaching to the test", wherein emphasis is given to what's on the test vs. a solid background knowledge.

This is exactly what PADI wants to avoid. You want to know all the material and be ready to answer any question at any time. Also just knowing it isn't enough, you have to be able to teach it, which requires even greater comfort with the material. What's more that, you have to be able to teach it to someone whose science or math skills may be severely limited.

My advice; assume that you'll be tested anytime, without notice, on anything that's in the book, plus a bit that isn't, and prepare accordingly.

 

[Pearldiver07]

Allistoy......did you read my last post?
Not looking to NOT LEARN the material.....just want to find a way to make it more comprehensible.
Learning doesn't have to be difficult....it can be fun.

I've taught lesson to some students until I blue in the face and they just wouldn't get it....
Then I'd spin an analogy to teach the same material in another way and BLAM!!!!.... lightbulb!!!...... immediately.

That's all I'm saying

Interesting - did you happen to create another profile? This quoted line comes from the OP, not you (or are both the same?).

Things that make you go hmmmmm.

 

[Steve50]

Interesting - did you happen to create another profile? This quoted line comes from the OP, not you (or are both the same?).

Things that make you go hmmmmm.

Possibly a split personality

 

[naplestreasures]

Sorry guys...I read the post and took it very personally, hence my reply.
I appreciate what you're saying naplestreasures.
I'm about to start preparing for the DM course myself and haven't had to do any real kind of real schoolwork or studying for more than 25 years. (Yeah, I'm an old dude)
I know where you're coming from.
You can dumb it down and still learn the material.
Hell, I made it through IANTD's Nitrox course with flying colors.
But then again, I had an awesome instructor who made it easy to learn the material.

What I think napleatreasures is getting at is what I feel myself.
There's so much in the book that I feel overwhelmed....there's no way I can remember ALL of it.
So what is the truly important stuff that NEEDS to be remembered?

 

[mksmith713]

Too weird.........LOL
My typo Allistoy....I meant THE last post......
It does look like Naplestreasures is suffering from MPD.......LMAO
I'm passionate about students comprehending the material.
I see it way too often with the children of the area where I live.
They can recite crap all day long and not have a clue what they just said.
Understanding material is more than rote memory.

BTW, I just picked up my PADI Rescue Divers manual to start studying for that class.
Wish me luck and fun.

 

[Joe-Diver]

Bizzaro...naplestreasures is talking about himself (herself) in the third person. Joe-Diver is weirded out.....

 

[mksmith713]

NT?....Too much Fla sun?