Final answer:
Taking a breath after being submerged stops the drowning process, and emphasizes the importance of prompt rescue and resuscitation to prevent brain damage or death due to lack of oxygen.
Step-by-step explanation:
Taking a breath after being submerged underwater stops the potential drowning process, which is associated with the inability to breathe due to the airway being sealed by a muscular spasm of the larynx. This involuntary response prevents water from entering the lungs, but it alsocompletely stops the passage of air. In scuba diving, divers use compressed air and must manage their buoyancy and pressure equalization. Moreover, decompression sickness (DCS) is a risk for divers who ascend too rapidly due to forming gas bubbles, which can be treated in recompression chambers with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Resuscitation efforts, including CPR, are crucial for individuals who are rescued from the water, especially within minutes, to prevent brain damage or death from oxygen deprivation.