Decompression Sickness
Diving and Nitrogen Absorption
Dive Depth & Nitrogen Absorption
Our body tissues and fluids contain dissolved nitrogen. Like a bottle of soda, the amount of nitrogen our bodies can absorb changes when our surrounding pressure increases or decreases.
As you learned in Chapter 4, the ambient pressure increases when we descend. As a result, our bodies ingas additional nitrogen while diving. How much is absorbed depends on several factors, with dive depth and duration being the most significant.
As we ascend, the ambient pressure decreases. This allows our bodies to offgas the nitrogen absorbed while at depth. As long as the amount of dissolved nitrogen is within safe limits and the pressure decreases slowly, the offgassing occurs safely and with no complications.
As you learned in Chapter 4, the ambient pressure increases when we descend. As a result, our bodies ingas additional nitrogen while diving. How much is absorbed depends on several factors, with dive depth and duration being the most significant.
As we ascend, the ambient pressure decreases. This allows our bodies to offgas the nitrogen absorbed while at depth. As long as the amount of dissolved nitrogen is within safe limits and the pressure decreases slowly, the offgassing occurs safely and with no complications.
