H2Andy
Contributor
decompression is an issue because under pressure, you absorb more nitrogen into your system than you would at the surface, right?
that happens because air is a compressible fluid. under pressure, the same volume of air occupies a much smaller space. or to put it another way, the same inhalation of air takes in a lot more air molecules, since they are compressed
now, since water is a non-compressible fluid, were you to breathe water through your gills, you would get the same amount of nitrogen at the surface than you would at 10,000 feet
thus, no nitrogen UNDER PRESSURE has been absorbed by your system. or rather, it's been absorbed under the same pressure as the surface, and no decompresion is needed
that happens because air is a compressible fluid. under pressure, the same volume of air occupies a much smaller space. or to put it another way, the same inhalation of air takes in a lot more air molecules, since they are compressed
now, since water is a non-compressible fluid, were you to breathe water through your gills, you would get the same amount of nitrogen at the surface than you would at 10,000 feet
thus, no nitrogen UNDER PRESSURE has been absorbed by your system. or rather, it's been absorbed under the same pressure as the surface, and no decompresion is needed