Challenging Environments Flashcards
What is pressure?
Pressure = force / area
What is the pressure on a diver at the surface?
Atmosphere above diver (150Km) = atmospheric pressure
What is ATA
Atmosphere absolute
The total ambient pressure on the system being calculated or measured
What is 1 ATA?
1 ATA = 1 bar = 101.3 kPa = 1kg/cm2 =
760mmHg = 14.7 psi
What is the water pressure above a diver?
Hydrostatic pressure
Which is heavier water or air density?
Water
What are the readings as you go further down in the water?
Sea level = 1ATA = 1 bar = 0 ATG
10m down = 2 ATA = 2 bars = 1ATG
20m down = 3 ATA = 3 bars = 2 ATG
What are the 3 important factors of divers regarding pressure?
Gas volumes
Gas solubility
Temperature
What is Boyle’s law?
Volume of a given amount of gas is inversely proportionate to pressure
P1 x V1 = P2 x V2
P x V = constant
What is Boyle’s law important for?
Gas compression in cylinders
Descent/ascent problems
Buoyancy
What is Charles’ law?
At a constant pressure, the volume of a given amount of gas varies directly with temperature
V (is proportional to) T
How do you work out absolute temperature in Kelvin
K = 273 + Celsius
Examples of Charles’ law
Heated gas expands
Cooled gas contracts
Affects tank pressures
What is the general gas law?
Boyle’s and Charles’ laws combined:
P1V1/T1 = P2V2/T2
What does general gas law result in?
Rapidly expanding gas cools
Rapidly compressing gas heats
What is the air we breath in made of?
Mixture of:
- N2 = 78.6%
- O2 = 20.8%
- H2O = 0.5%
- CO2 = 0.04%
What are the two ways to present the amount of each gas present in the atmosphere?
Percentages - out of 100%
Partial pressures - out of 760mmHg
What is Dalton’s law?
In a gas mixture, total pressure exerted by the mixture is the Sun of the pressures that would be exerted by each gas if it alone occupied the total volume
Patm = PN2 + PO2 + PH2O + PCO2
What is Henry’s law?
The quantity of gas which will dissolve in a liquid (at a given temp) is proportional to partial pressure of gas in contact with the liquid
What does Henry’s law influence?
The amount of gas going into and out of solution - descending and ascending
How do you work out density?
Density = mass / volume
What is specific gravity (SG)?
The density of a substance compared to density of fresh water
Which is denser fresh water or sea water
Sea water
Objects are also more buoyant in sea water
What does water do to heat?
Water has a high capacity to conduct and absorb heat
25x greater than air
What happens during decompression disorders?
Increased depth = increased absolute pressure
Increased gas partial pressure gradients for 02, N2
Increased diffusion into pulmonary circulation till new equilibrium reached
Increased diffusion into tissues
What determines the rate at which equilibrium is reached while diving?
Tissues with high blood flow equilibrate quickly - heart, brain, kidneys, liver
Tissues with low blood flow equilibrate more slowly - ligaments, tendons, fat
If ambient pressure drops too quickly on ascent gas bubbles are formed, what is the known as?
The bends
What types of ‘bends’ are there?
Synovial joints (most common)
Skin bends - skin itching
Oedema - lymph vessel blockage
The staggers - inner ear disturbance
The chokes - bubble blockage of pulmonary circulation
Spinal bend - peripheral sensory / motor disorders
CNS bend - visual blurring, headache, confusion, paralysis and coma
What is a barotrauma?
It is caused by expansion/contraction of gases in existing air spaces
Where are common sites for barotrauma?
Middle ear
Sinuses
Teeth
Lungs
Mask
Diving suit
What is narcosis?
A reversible change in consciousness
What is narcosis caused by?
Inert gas - N2 or He most common
O2 toxicity
CO2 - much less common
What are the effects of narcosis and when is it like to occur?
Breathing at >30m
- Euphoria
- Excitement
- Mental impairment
- Confusion
- Hallucination
- Unconsciousness
What do we know about narcosis?
Related to gas solubility in lipids
Different gases display the same narcotic effects at same molar concentration in tissues
Increased solubility = decreased partial pressure for narcosis
He can replace N2 at dives greater than 40-50m
- less lipid soluble and less dense
CO2 is a powerful narcotic and can work in synergy with N2
What are the cardiovascular effect of immersion?
Head out immersion
Hydrostatic compression of tissues
Decrease venous activity
Increase ECF
Increased venous return
Increased cardiac volume
- Split -
1) activation of stretch receptors
1) release of ANO
1) decrease RNSA
1) decrease ADH
1) decrease renin / ADH
1) naturesis / diuresis
2) increased stroke volume / CO
2) increased BP, baro stimulation
2) decreased HR but increased TPR
2) normal BP
How far can you dive while holding your breath?
Ama divers - 20m
Pearl divers - 50m
Free divers - 172m
What is the breaking point determined by for holding your breath?
Arterial PCO2 not O2
>55mmHg
When is hypoxic unconsciousness reached?
When O2 < 25/30mmHg
What is the diving reflex? And what is it used for?
Fascial immersion
Slows the heart down
Diverts blood to heart, lungs and brain
What does the diving reflex trigger?
Apnoea
Intense bradycardia
Peripheral vasoconstriction
What normally happens when you hold your breath?
Voluntary signal from cortex
Respiratory centre inhibited
Breathing ceases
Little / no effect of cardiovascular control
Chemoreceptor stimulation eventually overrides breaking point