SCUBA Duba Do Quiz | Scuba Diving

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. We'll start off basic. What does SCUBA stand for? Mind your spelling, now.

Answer: Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus

Although Jacques Cousteau invented the aqualung in 1943, the first true self-contained underwater breathing unit was developed in 1877 by Henry Fleuss. It was a far cry from the diving gear in use today, though.

2. SCUBA divers are at risk to a number of pressure related hazards. There is one collective term used to describe all these maladies. What is that term?

Answer: Barotrauma

Any injury or condition relating to or caused by variations in pressure is known as a barotrauma, from "baro", meaning pressure, and "trauma", meaning injury. The Bends (which is the same as Decompression Sickness) is just one type of barotrauma. Rapture of the Deep, otherwise known as Nitrogen Narcosis, is just one more.

3. Divers can be under a lot of pressure on a dive, both literally and figuratively. Every 50 feet of water means another Atmosphere of pressure.

Answer: False

Actually, pressure increases at a rate of 1 Atmosphere (equal to air pressure at the surface, or 14.7 psi) for every 33 feet of depth, although there is a difference between salt and fresh water. At a depth of 99 feet of sea water (or FSW), the pressure would be right around 4 Atmospheres, or about 73.5 psi.

4. As a general rule of thumb, when your depth gauge doesn't work, you should never ascend faster than...?

Answer: Your bubbles

Ascending too fast is a definite danger for SCUBA divers. If you ascend too fast, the air in your lungs and other air spaces can expand too rapidly and cause damage. As a general rule of thumb, you'll be okay if you make sure that the bubbles from your exhalations are rising faster or at least as fast as you.

5. A SCUBA diver's essential breathing regulator is split up into two basic parts. What are they called?

Answer: First stage and second stage

Your first stage drops the air pressure from your tank (which can be up to 3,000 psi) down to a safe, controllable level, according to depth pressure. Your second stage is what you hold in your mouth and provides breathable air on-demand.

6. You are fully suited up to dive, and are standing next to the water. You put your regulator in your mouth, put your mask on, and have your fins on. You partially inflate your BC, and than take a big step into the water, with one hand holding your mask and regulator in place and the other holding on to your BC inflator. What is this kind of entry called?

Answer: Giant stride

Once you hit the water, with your legs apart after the stride, you kick them back together to get up to the surface, and once you determine that you can maintain the surface, you signal to your buddy or shore minder that you are okay and in good shape. This is one of the safest ways to enter the water for diving.

7. Pressure squeeze can be pretty uncomfortable, and occurs when you descend and cannot efficiently clear the pressure in your air spaces. Which of the following squeezes are you NOT likely to experience?

Answer: Nose

Your nose, although it has an airspace, is not a confined airspace, since the sinus airway is connected to your mouth, and your mouth is (or should be) cycling air. Your ears can squeeze, your mask can squeeze, and both of these can be easily dealt with for the most part.

A tooth squeeze is the worst, though... it happens usually because of recent dental work that has trapped a small pocket of air under a cavity or such. There is little you can do about it other than briefly ascend to relieve the pressure.

8. Among these listed, the best reason sport divers should carry a dive knife is...?

Answer: Cutting free from entanglements

Although in an emergency, a dive knife could be used to fight off an overly aggressive form of marine life, divers for the most part should know to stay clear of marine animals that can get aggressive. The best reason to carry a dive knife is for cutting free of entanglements, like drifting seaweed or strands of fishing line that can cause serious trouble for divers.

9. Compressed air in a dive tank can sometimes be contaminated by oils, non-breathable gasses, and pollen that is accidentally sucked in through the compressor.

Answer: True

Compressed SCUBA air is filtered to medical standards and can not contain pollen or oils. The filtration system does not allow particles of this large size to pass through. Although for some time I thought pollen could not contaminate compressed air because the high partial pressure would incinerate biological matter, it turns out I was mistaken (Thanks to FunTrivia Player "qcobb" for pointing that out). Pollen CAN contaminate compressed air, just as oils and non-breathable gasses can.

10. Objects underwater at depth tend to look more blue than they would at the surface. This is because water tends to filter out shorter wavelengths of light.

Answer: False

Actually, water filters out the longer wavelengths, like red and yellow. This means that only blueish light can right the depths, and that is all we can see down there, unless we have our own light source.

11. You are on a dive at 50 feet, and your buddy swims up to you and begins to tap his mouthpiece. What is he trying to say to you?

Answer: He's running low on air and needs to share yours.

Tapping your mouthpiece is a commonly accepted signal that you are low on air... low enough that you might not be able to make the surface on what you have left. Your buddy is telling you he wants to either use your emergency second stage, or begin buddy breathing with you while you surface immediately.

Another way to sign that you're out of air is to move your hand across your throat in a 'cutting' motion.

12. Later that day, after changing out your tanks and waiting for your surface interval, you go diving again. You get to 40 feet this time, and you make eye contact with your buddy. You make an OK sign with your thumb and forefinger, asking him if he's good to go. He looks at you and gives you a thumbs-up sign. What is he trying to tell you?

Answer: He needs to surface.

The thumb-and-forefinger "OK" sign is what divers should use for signalling they are OK, or good to go, or whatever kind of acknowledgement they intend. The thumbs-up sign actually means you want to go towards the surface, just as the thumbs-down means you are ready to descend.

13. You are on a deep dive with your buddy, and you accidentally kick his mask off. You turn around to check on him, and see him trying to smash his mask back on his face, but keeps forgetting about the strap, so the mask keeps falling off. Then he spits out his regulator and starts to shake the mask vigorously, not really paying attention to you. What dive hazard is your buddy probably suffering from?

Answer: Nitrogen narcosis

Your buddy is "narced". He is likely suffering from nitrogen narcosis, as evidenced by his plainly irrational behavior. You need to get his regulator back in his mouth and take him to the surface immediately.

14. Most people know what the traditional dive flag looks like... the red field with a diagonal white stripe across it... but what OTHER flag can be flown to indicate the presence of divers in the water?

Answer: The letter "A" flag

The letter "A" (or alpha) flag, is also acceptable as a "Diver down" flag. You can see what it looks like at this website: http://www.nps.gov/isro/graphics/alpha.JPG

15. According to the US Navy no-decompression dive tables, how long is the maximum duration dive at 100 feet without breaking into a decompression dive?

Answer: 25 minutes

Navy dive tables are a little different in their safety tolerances than most recreational tables, and really shouldn't be used for recreational dive planning. Most recreational dive tables (Doppler tables) place the limit at 20 minutes. After that, you are required to spend time decompressing after the dive, which isn't very fun.

Source: Author Stillman

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

SCUBA Duba Do Trivia Quiz

What do you know about this most excellent of activities? If you are a diver, you should know all these. If you aren't, see how well you do!

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>