PADI Open Water Diver

As a newly certified PADI Open Water Diver, I will be trained to dive with a buddy as deep as ________.

18 metres/60 feet

Certain medical conditions can be hazardous while diving, so it is important to answer all questions on the Medical Statement honestly and completely.

a. True

b. False

a. True

PADI courses are performance-based. This means that to be certified, I must ________

meet specific performance requirements.

Failure to complete assigned independent study can create significant delays, and my instructor may have to cancel and reschedule sessions until I complete the assignment.

a. True

b. False

a. True

While diving in a new dive environment, two benefits of seeking an orientation, supervision and/or additional training are that it helps me avoid problems and that it helps me enjoy the dive more.

a. True

b. False

a. True

As you descend in water the pressure ________

increases

A depth of 10 metres/33 feet causes a pressure change of ________.

1 bar/ata

If you take 6 liters of air from the surface to 20 metres/66 feet, the volume will be ________.

2 litres

The density of the air in 6 litres from the surface to 20 metres/66 feet is ________

three times greater

A balloon fully inflated and sealed at 10 metres/33 feet, would probably ________ during ascent to the surface.

burst

As I descend, increasing pressure affects my (choose all that apply):

mask, ears and sinuses

A squeeze is caused by ________

a pressure imbalance between the surround pressure and an air space

Equalization is the process of ________

adding air to an air space

I should equalize ________

before I feel pain or discomfort

I'm descending and discover I can't equalize. The first thing I would do is ________

stop my descent and signal my buddy/the instructor

I equalize gently because an extended, forceful equalization can cause permanent damage to my ears and hearing.

a. True

b. False

a. True

On a day I plan to go diving, I wake up with my sinuses blocked due to a cold or allergy. I should ________

cancel the dive until I'm well

When scuba diving, normal breathing keeps your lungs equalized to the surrounding pressure.

a. True

b. False

a. True

The most important rule in scuba diving is to ________

breathe continuously and never hold your breath

Failure to follow the most important rule in scuba diving can cause severe lung overexpansion injuries, which can result in paralysis or death.

a. True

b. False

a. True

During ascent I feel discomfort in my ears. I should ________

stop, descend slightly and allow trapped air to work its way out

My buddy and I descend to 12 metres/40 feet. I would expect to use my air ________ at 6 metres/20 feet.

faster than

The most efficient way to breathe dense air underwater is to breathe ________

deeply and slowly

My body responds to anxiety with increased breathing, but slow breathing helps reduce anxiety.

a. True

b. False

a. True

What are the breathing rules I must follow as a diver?

- Breathe continuously and never, ever, hold my breath

- Breathe slowly and deeply

- Do not allow myself to get winded or out-of-breath

- If faced with a problem, stop, then maintain or restore slow, deep breathing

Buoyancy is a force that pushes an object in water upward.

a. True

b. False

a. True

My sunglasses case falls out of my pocket into the water, but fortunately, it floats so I retrieve it. I would say my sunglasses case is ________ buoyant.

positively

Salt water causes more buoyancy than fresh water because it is less dense and weighs less.

a. True

b. False

b. False

Salt water causes more buoyancy because it is more dense and weighs more; buoyancy results from the weight of the water displaced

To control my buoyancy, normally I will use my weight system and my ________

BCD

When I descend, my buoyancy tends to ________. When I ascend, it tends to ________.

decrease, increase

Underwater, when I inhale, my buoyancy ________

increases slightly

It is important to master buoyancy control because it affects almost everything I do in and underwater.

a. True

b. False

a. True

In recreational diving, the buddy system means diving with another diver or divers in a team that provides assistance and safety benefits.

a. True

b. False

a. True

Overall benefits of the buddy system include ________

practicality, safety and fun

The three most important considerations in choosing scuba equipment are suitability, fit and ________

comfort

Getting the service my gear needs may be a consideration when choosing equipment.

a. True

b. False

a. True

Before each use, I should ________ my equipment.

inspect

I need a mask because ________

my eyes must be in air to focus

My mask encloses my nose so I can ________

equalize the mask

From among masks that fit me, I should choose a mask that fits as far away from my face as possible.

a. True

b. False

b. False

Choose a low profile that sits as close to your face as possible

I want to adjust my mask so the strap rests ________

above my ears, over the crown of my head

Snorkels are standard equipment for scuba diving because they allow me to breathe with my face in the water, or in rough conditions, without wasting my scuba air, especially when I have little scuba air remaining.

a. True

b. False

a. True

Some scuba divers prefer a snorkel with a flexible lower portion so it drops out of the way when not in use.

a. True

b. False

a. True

When my snorkel is in my mouth, the tip should be ________

over the crown of my head

Fins provide a large surface area so my legs can push against the water effectively.

a. True

b. False

a. True

The two basic fin styles are ________ fins.

adjustable and full-foot

My primary considerations when choosing fins are fit and ________

blade size

To prepare adjustable fins, I should adjust the straps wearing my wet suit boots.

a. True

b. False

a. True

BCD (Buoyancy Control Device)

Holds your kit together and allows you to adjust buoyancy throughout the dive.

Regulator

Delivers breathing air at the surrounding pressure when you inhale and directs exhaled air into the water

Cylinder

Hold the high-pressure breathing air supplied by your regulator during the dive.

Weight System

Holds lead weight to counteract the positive buoyancy of your body and some of your equipment, with a mechanism for dropping some or all the weight in an emergency.

Identify the four systems that make up a scuba kit.

Cylinder, BCD, Regulator, Weight System

There's no real benefit to choosing the components of my scuba kit as an integrated package.

a. True

b. False

b. False

Although the components are generally interchangeable, choosing your scuba kit as a package helps you best meet your preferences

Inflatable Bladder

very durable bag that you inflate or deflate to change your buoyancy

Cylinder band and harness/jacket

The bladder integrates with an adjustable harness that holds the cylinder on your back. The bladder may be entirely behind you, or wrap partially around your waist and/or over your shoulders. With some systems, you can interchange harnesses and bladders to accommodate sizing and preferences.

LPI (low-pressure inflator) mechanism

Usually at the end of a large-diameter hose, the LPI inflates the bladder with air from your cylinder, via the regulator, when you press a button. Another button allows you to deflate the bladder, or inflate it orally.

Overpressure/quick exhaust valves

to prevent rupturing the bladder due to overfilling, BCDs have one or more overpressure valves that automatically vent if the BCD is too full. Some may have "quick dump" valves that let you manually release air, which is sometimes easier (due to your position in the water) that using the LPI exhaust.

Shoulder quick release

a quick-release buckle on one or both shoulders makes it easier to get out of your kit

Buoyancy Capacity

Most BCDs cover a wide range of diving circumstances. Your BCD should have ample buoyancy to easily float you and all your equipment at the surface. You sometimes hear the amount of buoyancy called "lift" capacity.

The LPI mechanism inflates the BCD with air from my scuba cylinder.

a. True

b. False

a. True

My BCD should have adequate capacity to easily float my equipment and me at the surface.

a. True

b. False

a. True

My BCD should fit ________

snugly but not restrict breathing when fully inflated

My buddy is rinsing a BCD and partially fills the bladder with water. Is this consistent with recommended BCD care?

yes

Submersible Pressure Gauge (SPG)

tells you the air pressure remaining in your cylinder so you can manage your air supply

Alternate Air Source

an extra second stage you use for sharing air with a buddy should the need arise

Pony Bottles

small cylinders with their own regulators, so they're completely separate from your main scuba kit

Second Stage

reduces the first stage intermediate pressure to the pressure around you and delivers air only when you inhale - on demand

First Stage

hub of your regulator that is a simple and reliable device that supplies air to all the other components

Yoke

holds the first stage to the cylinder with a clamp system

The most important consideration when choosing a regulator is ________

ease of breathing

When choosing an alternate air source, a primary consideration involves deciding ________

between independence and simplicity

My SPG is always part of my dive computer.

a. True

b. False

b. False

Your SPG may be an independent instrument or it may be integrated into your dive computer

My local dive pro will usually set up my regulator components.

a. True

b. False

a. True

When setting up and wearing a kit, the alternate air source ________

secures in the triangle formed by my hips and chin

Regulators need periodic overhauls, typically every year to two years.

a. True

b. False

a. True

The ________ is a safety device that relives accidental overpressure by releasing air before reaching the pressure at which the cylinder would fail.

burst disk

A cylinder with a higher working pressure always holds more air than a cylinder with a lower working pressure.

a. True

b. False

b. False

A cylinder's capacity depends upon both its working pressure and its internal capacity

I bring a cylinder aboard a diver boat in preparation for a trip out to a nearby reef. The normal procedure would be to ________

secure the cylinder in a rack

Scuba cylinders require pressure testing ________ and visual inspections ________

every 2-5 years, annually

I should have my scuba cylinder filled ________

only by reputable scuba air stations

The most important feature in my weight system is its ________

quick release

I must be able to quickly release enough weight to float reliably in an emergency, but not necessarily all my weight.

a. True

b. False

a. True

Trim means having the right ________ of weight.

distribution

One reason for wearing more than one weight system is that it is sometimes easier than handling a single, heavier one.

a. True

b. False

a. True

Accessory weights ________

can help you adjust your trim

Underwater objects appear ________

larger and/or closer

My buddy has a bright red shoulder patch on his wet suit. If we're diving together in very clear water on a sunny day, at 12 metres/40 feet I would expect the patch to appear ________

less red than at the surface

Because water is denser than air, it takes more effort to move through water.

a. True

b. False

a. True

To move efficiently as a dive, I should move ________

slowly and steadily

Streamlining benefits me as a diver because it reduces drag, which helps me save energy.

a. True

b. False

a. True

Trim is important for streamlining because ________

poor trim raises or lowers my feet, causing drag

Water's density works best for me when I use the skill of ________

controlling my buoyancy

I chill faster in water than in air of the same temperature because water absorbs more heat than air does.

a. True

b. False

a. True

To stay comfortably warm during a dive, I ________

wear an appropriate exposure suit

After 30 minutes underwater, I start to feel a bit too cool and uncomfortable. I should ________

end the dive

While diving, I start to feel cool and shorty being to shiver uncontrollably. I should ________

end the dive immediately, dry off and seek warmth

While scuba diving, I should breathe ________

slowly and deeply

One method of airway control is to inhale slowly. I can also ________ to help breathe past small amounts of water in my regulator.

raise my tongue

If I'm tired, have labored breathing and feel air-starved and anxious during a dive, it is likely I am experiencing overexertion.

a. True

b. False

a. True