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... sk is needed because the human eye cannot focus without any air space in front of it. A mask provides the air space. Without the mask, you can see large objects, but they will be blurred and indistinct because your eyes cannot bring the rays of light into sharp focus. Only by wearing a mask can you see sharply (Ascher, 9).
Light travels at a different speed in water than in air. When light enters the air in your mask from the water, the change in speed causes its angle of travel to shift slightly. This causes a magnificent effect that makes objects under water appear 25 % larger and closer (Ascher, 52). Water has other effects on light. As you descend, there is less light. This is due to several facts: some light reflects off the water's surface, some is scattered by particles in the water, and some is absorbed by the water itself.
However, water does not absorb light uniformly. White light, such as sunlight, is actually composed of various colors mixed together. The colors are absorbed one by one as depth increases: First red, followed by orange and yellow. Since each color is part of the total light entering the water, less light remains as depth increases and each color is absorbed. For these reason, deeper water is darker and less colorful. To see true colors, divers sometimes carry underwater lights with them (Resneck, 151).
Underwater Hearing The underwater world is not a silent world. One can hear many new and interesting sounds, like snapping shrimp, grunting fish, and boat engines passing in the distance. Since sound travels farther in water than in air, one is able to hear things over much longer distances. Sound also travels about four times faster in water than in air and because of this, one may have trouble determining the direction a sound is coming from (Cramer, 95). Speech is virtually impossible under water because ones vocal cords do not work in a liquid environment, not to mention the addition of the tube in ones mouth. Communication by sound is usually limited to attracting the attention of another diver by rapping on the tank with a solid object, such as a knife.
The diver will hear the rapping, but may not be able to tell where the sound is coming from. Heat loss in water. Diving stops being enjoyable when the diver gets cold. In fact, even a small loss of body heat has the potential to be a serious health threat. For these reasons, understanding about heat loss is important. In air, body heat is lost as it rises from the skin into the air, as it is carried away by air currents, or as perspiration cools the skin through evaporation.
Water conducts heat away from your body twenty times faster than air does, meaning that for a given temperature, water has a far greater cooling effect. Even seemingly warm 86 F water can become chilly after a while (Cramer, 91). The loss of body heat in water can quickly lead to a serious condition unless you use insulation to reduce the heat loss. Insulation through the use of exposure suits is recommended for diving in water 75 F or colder. Just as one dresses according to the temperature and conditions to go outdoors, one must dress appropriately for diving.
Motion in water One of the best aspects of diving is that it can be so relaxing. There's little reason for hurrying. By learning how to move without breathlessness, cramping or fatigue, you learn to relax during a dive. Due to the greater density of water, resistance to movement in water is much greater than in air.
If you " ve ever tried to run waist-deep water, you " ve experienced this. In overcoming this increased resistance while diving, the best way to conserve energy is to move slowly and steadily. Avoid rapid and jerky movements that waste energy. Simply take your time. After all this is a sport to enjoy. Conclusion Several months after my vacation, I decided to give scuba diving a second chance.
However, this time I decided to do it right. I signed up to take a P. A. D. I. certification, which is one of the many internationally recognized scuba associations.
It was here, in a properly structured course, consisting of both theoretical and practical (in water) sessions where I was properly re-introduced to the sport. Since my introductory dive from hell, I have had the chance to become quite the scuba enthusiast. Partaking in numerous dives not only in warmer climates (preferably) but in the colder Montreal waters as well, scuba diving has become part of my lifestyle. I participate in and enjoy every opportunity to re-visit the underwater world that once scared me away. In this paper, I included some history of the evolution of the sport in order to point out that there is more to this particular sport than jumping into the water.
Scuba is a complex sport and can not be enjoyed without some scientific knowledge. Scuba diving did not simply evolve, but it is the result of numerous inventions and physical properties. One could only imagine the difficulty that those historic divers (scientists) had in creating this sport. My objective in writing this paper was not to deter people away from the sport, but to stress the importance of the knowledge that is required to properly and safely partake in it. Like everything else in life, one must work towards a goal, and this is no different.
One will quickly see that the payoff is far greater than anything else ever experienced. Recreational scuba is meant to be a very enjoyable and relaxing sport. The scenery is magnificent and the sensations are truly indescribable. Today, scuba diving is quickly becoming one of the expanding trades. Whether for military, research, business, or recreation, hundreds of thousands of people are heading for the depths, to experience the unknown. My advice for a new diver is to do it right.
Get the proper certification and make each dive a safe one. When a diver is fully trained, and in good mental and physical condition, safe diving can be one of the most enjoyable of experiences. The true beauty of the underwater world, coupled with the marvelous almost-weightlessness of floating with neutral buoyancy is an indescribable experience. Bibliography /Further Reading Ascher, Scott M. Scuba Handbook for Humans. Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company. 1975.
Cramer, John L. Ph. D. Skin and Scuba Diving: Scientific Principles and Techniques. N.
Y. : Berg wall Productions, Inc. 1975. Keeps, Henry & McDowell, Jack. Safe Skin and Scuba Diving, adventure in the underwater world. Canada: Little, Brown and Company (Canada) Ltd. 1975. Koelzer, William.
Scuba Diving, How to get started. Pennsylvania: Chilton Book Company. 1976. Resneck, John Jr. Scuba, Safe and Simple. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1975. Tillman, Albert A.
Skin and Scuba Diving. Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers. 1966.
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Research essay sample on Scuba Diving Heat Loss
