Final answer:
In a diver's body, nitrogen absorbed at depth due to increased pressure can form dangerous bubbles if ascent is too rapid.
Step-by-step explanation:
After a scuba diver has completed a dive, nitrogen that has dissolved in the body during the dive due to high pressure conditions must be safely released as the diver ascends and pressure decreases. Underwater, the pressure causes more nitrogen to dissolve in the diver's blood and tissues as per Henry's Law.
When a diver surfaces, if the ascent is not slow enough or if decompression stops are not taken, decompressed gases may become less soluble leading to the formation of bubbles in the blood, a condition known as Decompression Sickness (DCS), colloquially known as 'the bends'.
This can result in symptoms ranging from rashes and joint pain to severe neurological issues and even death. To prevent DCS, divers must ascend at a controlled rate and make decompression stops if necessary. Should DCS occur nevertheless, treatment usually involves hyperbaric oxygen therapy in a recompression chamber.