Question

Why should a SCUBA diver avoid holding their breath while ascending underwater?

a) Holding breath helps conserve oxygen
b) Holding breath prevents water from entering the lungs
c) Holding breath can cause lung overexpansion and injury
d) Holding breath maintains buoyancy underwater

Answer 1

Scuba divers should avoid holding their breath while ascending underwater to evade lung overexpansion and injury. Rapid ascent can cause gases to form bubbles in the bloodstream, leading to decompression sickness. Ascending at slow speeds or making decompression stops helps prevent this.

Step-by-step explanation:

Scuba divers should avoid holding their breath while ascending underwater because holding breath can cause lung overexpansion and injury. As the diver ascends to the surface, the ambient pressure decreases, and the dissolved gases become less soluble. If the ascent is too rapid, the gases escaping from the diver's blood may form bubbles, leading to decompression sickness and potentially serious symptoms. To avoid this, divers must ascend at slow speeds or make decompression stops to allow for the gradual release of gases.