Physiology

Question 1

What may happen if a diver ruptures an eardrum while diving in cold water?

A the diver may experience a squeeze.
B the diver may lose consciousness.
C the diver may experience vertigo.
D the diver may experience euphoria.

Answer 1

C the diver may experience vertigo.

Question 2

If the blood did not contain the substance identified in the above question (hemoglobin), blood would have to circulate how many times faster to keep up with the body’s demand for oxygen?

Answer 2

15-20 times.

Question 3

the practice of breathing slowly went scuba diving is important in order to:

Answer 3

minimize resistance caused by turbulence in the airways.

Question 4

when a breath-holding divers emerges into cold water his heart rate will:

Answer 4

decrease

Question 5

to reduce the demand for oxygen while breath-hold diving, the diver should:

Answer 5

move slowly and deliberately while underwater.

Question 6

to reduce the alveolar carbon dioxide level before a breath hold dive, the diver should:

Answer 6

take a few rapid, deep breaths before submerging.

Question 7

True or False - Hypoxia results when the divers carbon dioxide level cannot accumulate to a level high enough to stimulate breathing before the tissues consume the available oxygen.

Answer 7

True

Question 8

Blackout normally occurs on Ascent because:

Answer 8

the partial pressure of the alveolar oxygen rapidly decreases.

Question 9

The carotid-sinus reflex is caused by an excessively tight_______________.

Answer 9

exposure suit or hood that constricts the neck

Question 10

Carbon monoxide is difficult to detect because it is:

Answer 10

odorless and tasteless.

Question 11

Carbon monoxide binds with hemoglobin over____________times more readily than oxygen can, and it takes________for the circulatory system to eliminate it.

Answer 11

200 / 8-12 hours

Question 12

The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are not as noticeable at depth because:

Answer 12

high levels of oxygen are dissolved into the plasma allowing tissues to meet their oxygen requirement.

Question 13

Smoking cigarettes prior to diving can raise the carbon monoxide__________times above-normal, which in turn___________.

Answer 13

3-12 / impairs oxygen transport in carbon dioxide elimination

Question 14

Why does DCS occur to recreational divers upon resurfacing rather than while they are at depth?

Answer 14

bubble formation can occur until the tissues become supersaturated. IE hold more gas than the ambient pressure. this can only occur on ascent.

Question 15

The various factors that increase the divers susceptibility to decompression sickness relate primarily to:

Answer 15

Changes to circulation.

Question 16

Two factors that affect gas absorption are?

Answer 16

Density of the tissue and blood flow.

Question 17

The term “silent bubbles” refer to bubbles that:

Answer 17

are so small they do not cause signs and symptoms of decompression sickness.

Question 18

What is the device used to detect the presence of silent bubbles?

Answer 18

Doppler ultrasound flow meter

Question 19

Why does DCS in recreational divers involve nitrogen bubbles but not oxygen bubbles?

Answer 19

Because the oxygen we breathe is used up in the metabolic process.

Question 20

Breathing pure oxygen AIDS the individual with decompression sickness because it:

Answer 20

increases the pressure gradient between the nitrogen pressure in the tissue and the alveolar nitrogen pressure.

Question 21

List the three primary signs and symptoms of nitrogen narcosis:

Answer 21

poor judgement, decreased coordination and a false sense of security.

Question 22

The term barotrauma literally:

Answer 22

pressure injury (baro=pressure, trauma = injury)

Question 23

Other than potential damage to the eardrum, and excessively forceful valsalva maneuver can result in a:

Answer 23

round window rupture.

Question 24

Severe lung squeeze can occur in shallow depth in which of the following

Answer 24

a skin diver descends with his lungs nearly empty.

Question 25

Vertigo can be caused by:

Answer 25

ear squeeze, inner ear barotrauma in decompression sickness.

Question 26

A symptom of air embolism maybe________, well two symptoms of decompression sickness maybe _____________ and_____________.

Answer 26

sudden unconsciousness
pain in the joints and fatigue

Question 27

In terms of the location of symptoms, air embolism is characterized by______________, while decompression sickness is characterized by__________________.

Answer 27

involvement of both sides of the body, either upper or lower

Question 28

The most serious form of lung over-expansion injury is an _______________ because air bubbles enter the_____________________

Answer 28

air embolism / arterial circulation

Question 29

Explain how a lung over-expansion injury can occur even to a diver who is breathing normally?

Answer 29

Any obstruction that prevents the normal release of air from the lungs can cause over pressurization. These obstructions can occur for various reasons. Even though the diver me breathe normally, obstructions deep in the lung may not allow air to escape. Various diseases such as asthma and other pulmonary disorders can cause these obstructions. However, a more prevalent cause lung obstruction in divers are those resulting from smoking cigarettes, or diving after a severe chest cold.

Question 30

Daltons law

Answer 30

psychological affect of gas is proportionate to the partial pressure.

Question 31

how much faster does carbon monoxide bond to hemoglobin than does oxygen?

Answer 31

200X

Question 32

signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

Answer 32

bright red lips and nail beds, headache, confusion, tunnel vision, unconsciousness, death

Question 33

signs and symptoms of pulmonary toxicity

Answer 33

discomfort in chest and irritating cough

Question 34

what should you set a continuous valve to flow at for emergency’s.

Answer 34

15 liters per minute