Why sea divers use a mixture of helium and oxygen for respiration instead of air?

Why sea divers use a mixture of helium and oxygen for respiration instead of air?

The main reason for adding helium to the breathing mix is to reduce the proportions of nitrogen and oxygen below those of air, to allow the gas mix to be breathed safely on deep dives. A lower proportion of oxygen reduces the risk of oxygen toxicity on deep dives.

Why do divers use a mixture of oxygen and helium?

In some dives, both nitrogen and oxygen can induce a state similar to drunkenness. Adding helium to the mix reduces this so divers can think more clearly. Using helium can also mean divers can take fewer stops on their return to the surface, without suffering decompression sickness.

Why do sea divers carry oxygen gas cylinders along with them when going deep into water?

Sea divers carry oxygen gas cylinders along with them because there is no free oxygen in the sea water since the little dissolved oxygen present in water can’t be used for breathing by divers. It can be used only by aquatic animals.

Why are oxygen cylinders diluted with helium in deep sea diving?

When sea divers dive deep into the sea, large amount of nitrogen dissolves in their blood. Therefore, air in oxygen cylinders used for diving is diluted with helium gas. This is done as He is sparingly less soluble in blood.

Why do deep divers use helium?

Why do we use Helium? Helium is a very light inert gas. It is used by technical divers to reduce narcosis when diving at deeper depths. With normal air (21\% oxygen/ 79\% Nitrogen) nitrogen narcosis becomes an issue at these depths.

Why do deep sea divers wear special suits?

As the depth of the sea increases, the pressure increases since pressure increases with depth. The pressure exerted by water deep under the sea is much greater than at the sea level. Hence, the deep sea divers wear special suits which protect them from extreme pressure of water. These suits are called diving suits.

Why helium is used in diving equipment?

Helium along with oxygen is used in the diving apparatus by the sea divers. Since it is very little soluble in blood, it reduces decompression and causes less discomfort to the diver in breathing.

Why deep sea divers do not use compressed air?

Decompression sickness: Often called “the bends,” decompression sickness happens when a scuba diver ascends too quickly. Divers breathe compressed air that contains nitrogen. At higher pressure under water, the nitrogen gas goes into the body’s tissues. This can cause tissue and nerve damage.

What does oxygen and helium make?

Heliox is a breathing gas mixture of helium (He) and oxygen (O2). …

Why is helium used as diluent for oxygen?

He is used as a diluent for oxygen in modern diving apparatus because of its very low solubility in blood.

What do scuba divers do?

Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving where the diver uses a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus in order to breathe below the water’s surface. Divers usually carry oxygen filled tanks on their back while they swim.

Why do divers breathe compressed air?

Divers breathe compressed air that contains nitrogen. At higher pressure under water, the nitrogen gas goes into the body’s tissues. And if a diver rises to the surface (decompresses) at the right rate, the nitrogen can slowly and safely leave the body through the lungs.

Why do divers breathe helium?

There are three reasons why helium becomes a necessary addition to breathing gas as depth increases: Oxygen is known to cause central nervous system (CNS) toxicity at higher pressures. This toxicity presents as convulsions, which will inevitably drown the diver.

How does a diver breathe underwater?

To breathe underwater a diver must be supplied air at a pressure equal to that of the water surrounding the diver. However there is an upper limit of oxygen pressure above which the oxygen becomes biochemically toxic. Therefore, it is necessary to include something to dilute the oxygen in a diver’s breathing gas.

What gases are used in diving equipment?

The most commonly used mixture of gases in diving apparatus is nitrox also referred to as Enriched Air Nitrox, which is with extra oxygen about 32\% to 36\% and thus less nitrogen than atmospheric air, reducing the risk of decompression sickness or bends. But research has shown that oxygen is also toxic.

What is the best breathing mixture for a diver?

Air of course is a suitable breathing mixture for a diver based primarily on nitrogen as the oxygen diluent.Air is in fact the preferred breathing mixture for all dives to depths of less than about 150-200 fsw (feet of sea water). However, even at 150 fsw, when breathing air most divers feel the effects of nitrogen narcosis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRjA1dDWaZ4