Final answer:
Dive computers are essential for divers because they provide real-time depth and time information, calculate nitrogen absorption to prevent decompression sickness, and help manage decompression stops. They work in conjunction with gauges that monitor gas supply, which is crucial for diver safety.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dive computers are essential for planning and executing dives because they offer crucial information and functionality to scuba divers. These compact devices provide real-time depth and time information, which can help divers manage their time underwater effectively. Moreover, dive computers are sophisticated enough to calculate nitrogen absorption in a diver's body, taking into account the depth and time of the dive to warn against the dangers of decompression sickness. Although not all dive computers directly monitor air consumption, they can be used alongside gauges that do, assisting divers in keeping track of their remaining air supply. Dive computers also play a vital role in tracking decompression stops, ensuring divers ascend safely by alerting them to necessary stops at certain depths to allow dissolved gases to safely escape the body and prevent decompression sickness.
Knowing how much gas is available for a dive is another crucial aspect of diver safety. Scuba tanks are equipped with pressure gauges that show how much gas is in the tank. Divers also need a basic understanding of gas behavior under pressure to calculate how long the air supply will last. Since the pressure increases with depth, and gases compress under pressure, air consumption rates increase the deeper a diver goes. Therefore, monitoring gas supply, understanding decompression, and managing buoyancy are critical for scuba diving safety.