Diving Physics
Introduces the core physical principles that govern the underwater environment. You will explore how pressure, volume, temperature, light, and buoyancy behave underwater, and how these factors influence diving equipment, gas use, and the human body.
Key areas covered include:
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Fundamental diving calculations and basic mathematical skills used in diving
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The relationship between pressure and volume (Boyle’s Law) and its effects on divers and equipment
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The relationship between pressure and temperature (Gay-Lussac’s Law)
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Gas solubility and how gases dissolve in liquids (Henry’s Law)
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Partial pressures of gases in a mixture (Dalton’s Law)
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The effects of temperature on divers and equipment
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Underwater visibility, light absorption, colour loss, sound, and hearing
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Buoyancy and Archimedes’ Principle as applied to diving operations
By the end of this section, you will understand why diving behaves the way it does physically, and how to apply these principles to real diving situations.
Course Features
- Lectures 38
- Quizzes 9
- Duration Lifetime access
- Skill level All levels
- Language English
- Students 235
- Certificate Yes
- Assessments Self
- 10 Sections
- 38 Lessons
- Lifetime
- Introduction to Diving Physics
Objective: Understand how diving physics supports safe dive planning, problem-solving, and operational decision-making.
Knowledge: Explain why diving physics laws are essential for safety and calculations.
Skills: Apply basic physics thinking to recognise risks and make safe decisions.
3 - Diving Physics and Calculations
Objective: Understand how diving physics supports safe dive planning, problem-solving, and operational decision-making.
Knowledge: Explain why diving physics laws are essential for safety and calculations.
Skills: Apply basic physics thinking to recognise risks and make safe decisions.
6 - Boyle's Law
Objective: Explain Boyle’s Law and apply it to diving equipment, gas spaces, and diver safety.
Knowledge: Describe how volume and pressure change with depth and the hazards this creates.
Skills: Solve Boyle’s Law calculations and apply safe ascent/descent decision-making.
11- 3.1What is Boyles’s Law?
- 3.2Effects on Diving Equipment
- 3.3Effects on Gas Consumption
- 3.4Gas Calculations (SCUBA)
- 3.5Example: SCUBA Calculation
- 3.6Example: Effects of Temperature
- 3.7Gas Calculations: Surface Supply Diving
- 3.8Effects on the Human Body
- 3.9Temperature
- 3.10Boyle’s law Overview9 Questions
- 3.11Practice Test – Boyle’s Law20 Questions
- Gay-Lussac's Law
Objective: Explain how temperature affects cylinder pressure and safety in diving operations.
Knowledge: Describe the relationship between temperature and pressure in a fixed container (cylinder).
Skills: Interpret cylinder safety scenarios and apply correct handling and storage precautions.
3 - Henry's Law
Objective: Explain how gases dissolve into body tissues under pressure and affect ascent/descent safety.
Knowledge: Describe how pressure influences gas absorption and release in tissues.
Skills: Apply Henry’s Law to diving safety decisions and identify risks of rapid ascent.
6 - Dalton's law4
- Temperature
Objective: Understand absolute temperature and how temperature influences gas behaviour and diver safety.
Knowledge: Explain the concept of absolute temperature and why it matters in gas laws.
Skills: Apply temperature concepts to diving scenarios and interpret safety implications.
2 - The Diving Environment
Objective: Explain how the underwater environment affects perception, performance, and safety.
Knowledge: Describe how vision, sound, balance, temperature and sensory perception change underwater.
Skills: Apply environmental awareness to make safe decisions in real diving conditions.
7 - Archimedes Principle and Buoyancy
Objective: Explain buoyancy and apply Archimedes’ Principle to diving operations.
Knowledge: Describe displacement, buoyancy forces, and stability in water.
Skills: Perform buoyancy calculations and apply buoyancy control principles for safe diving.
4 - Final Exam
Objective: Demonstrate competence in diving physics through written assessments and calculations.
Knowledge: Explain diving physics laws, pressure effects, and calculation methods.
Skills: Apply physics principles to solve diving problems under exam conditions.
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