scuba_freek2000
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why is it that a free diver can go deeper and ascend faster than someone whith a breathing apparatus and not be harmed?
free diving
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Paul168341
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Because the gas in a Freediver's lungs (Breathold) is subject to the same pressure changes as the diver's. As a Freediver descends, his/her lung volume decreases with the pressure. So does the gas volume. Freediver @ surface is under 1 ATA of air pressure (14.7psi) so is the air he/she is breathing. Freediver descends to 99 FSW, 4 ATA. The air in his/her lungs is also at 4 ATA. SCUBA puts breathing gas in a non-flexible container. DIver @ surface = 1 ATA; air @ surface = 1 ATA. Diver @ 99 FSW = 4 ATA. Air in tank travelling to lungs = 1 ATA (the pressure change doesn't affect the air in a steel or aluminium bottle) Therefore, when Freediver ascends from 4 ATA to 1 ATA, the air is depressurizing the same, 4 to 1 ATA. The poor SCUBA diver though, is breathing 1 ATA air @ 4 ATA. When he/she ascends, the volume etc.. of that air will increase 4x, causing AGE, lung expansion, DCS and a whole host of nastiness.
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