Opening mouth underwater

[jepuskar]

Ok, this has been bugging me for awhile now....

I see people opening their mouth underwater all the time and I wonder why water does not enter their mouth and cause them to choke or atleast put their reg back in...

Is it that the air within the mouth/air passages creates an outward force not allowing any water in as long as your breath is held? (Please, no breath holding debates)

I want to try this, but am very reluctant to give it her a whirl without having knowledge of the whys ahead of time.

Thanks,


Jason

 

[Arduous]

The gas pressure in your mouth is controlled by you. It requires little thought to perform. However, if you’re asking this question, I will assume you’re new to diving and I would ask that you please keep your regulator in your mouth while diving. At least for the time being.

 

[vjongene]

Ok, this has been bugging me for awhile now....

I see people opening their mouth underwater all the time and I wonder why water does not enter their mouth and cause them to choke or atleast put their reg back in...

Is it that the air within the mouth/air passages creates an outward force not allowing any water in as long as your breath is held? (Please, no breath holding debates)

I want to try this, but am very reluctant to give it her a whirl without having knowledge of the whys ahead of time.

Hmmm, troll fighting relapse... Is this a relapse, Jason?

Anyway, the air you are breathing through your reg, and the air in your lungs and mouth, are at ambient pressure throughout the dive. This means at the same pressure as the water surrounding you. So if you open your mouth and exhale, bubbles will be coming out. If you inhale, you will be inhaling water. If you open just a little, nothing will happen. Assuming of course that you maintain your depth constant.

 

[jbd]

Ok, this has been bugging me for awhile now....

I see people opening their mouth underwater all the time and I wonder why water does not enter their mouth and cause them to choke or atleast put their reg back in...

Is it that the air within the mouth/air passages creates an outward force not allowing any water in as long as your breath is held? (Please, no breath holding debates)

I want to try this, but am very reluctant to give it her a whirl without having knowledge of the whys ahead of time.

Thanks,


Jason

Think of what you are doing during an airsharing situation. One reg comes out of your mouth and the other goes in. Certainly you had to open your mouth to get the donated reg in your mouth. As noted by vjongene, if you are exhaling then bubbles will come out, if inhaling you will inhale water. If you are doing neither, water will replace the air in your mouth but won't enter your lungs(mammilian reflex)

Now a question for you--if the air in your mouth is replaced by the water; where did the air go if no bubbles came out of your mouth?

 

[DennisS]

Ok, this has been bugging me for awhile now....

I see people opening their mouth underwater all the time and I wonder why water does not enter their mouth and cause them to choke or atleast put their reg back in...

Why are they opening their mouths underwater all the time?

 

[jepuskar]

This is the problem with asking a question like this on SB....I get accused of being new to diving or trolling, which I'm not....I actually have my divemaster, but that doesn't mean I can figure out everything question I come up with or should stop asking questions if I dont understand...so shame on you guys for berating me...but let me guess..I should go back and study right?

JBD, thank you for answering my question. I was not aware of the mammilian reflex. Ofcourse I have had the reg out of my mouth and was exhaling, but I have never tried inhaling (duh)..which obviously I wouldnt, but I have never tried neither.

I'm not sure on your question though....if air didnt come out then it had to go in?

 

[Rick Murchison]

Just try it in the pool. No Scuba gear required; depth is irrelevant.
Rick

 

[Rick Inman]

Why are they opening their mouths underwater all the time?

To stick their foot in it.

 

[jbd]

I'm not sure on your question though....if air didnt come out then it had to go in?

In yes, but where? Not the lungs and not the esophagus.

 

[miketsp]

Most of the divers I see with mouths open and no reg are either talking, screaming or blowing air rings. In all cases air is being expelled and no water enters.
The rest are drowning.