Choosing Between Various Nitrox Classes

[ScubaFeenD]

Stuff you probably won't learn from your Nitrox instructor, regardless of agency...

As a person interested in research and medicine, I am very curious about how much of what we do in diving is actually based on any real understanding. I know tests were done in the Navy and with NOAA to determine many of the diving parameters, but based on that alone I am not satisfied; too many variables that are left uncontrolled. I have not had a chance to really dive into the Rubicon archives to read more about the original research on DCS and decompression, nor have I had a chance to read deco for divers yet. However, from what I understand right now so little is really understood about decompression and exactly what occurs and causes the "disease."

I find posts like this great, because it helps expose me to things I would otherwise not readily find and it really illuminates the less than perfect system that exists for determining what is safe.

 

[muddiver]

You would also be interested in the doppler bubble research by Karl Huggins through the Michigan University and the resulting dive tables printed up via the University of Southern California. USC Wrigley Institute | Marine Science Center

Here is some more good reading http://www.oseh.umich.edu/articles/mld.pdf

 

[keyshunter]

That's easy. Just open up the valve and let a little bit out. Oxygen is lighter than Nitrogen so it will be at the top of the bottle and will come out first.

Cute, but incorrect. Oxygen (atomic weight 16) is heavier than nitrogen (atomic weight 14).

 

[ScubaFeenD]

Cute, but incorrect. Oxygen (atomic weight 16) is heavier than nitrogen (atomic weight 14).

Oh. I thought he was just kidding :-/

 

[diver 85]

It seems ridiculous that an agency would see fit to split courses up based on 22-32% and 33-40%. It has to be solely a money issue, because it is really an unnecessary additional layer.

Teaching students to just follow a preset composition of gas seems completely ridiculous, too. I am just glad that I am "allowed" figure out my own best mixes and where available get fills that can utilize them. If I were you I would look for a different course, perhaps like the SDI course that was recommended by H2O 70.

george always rule---they like the greenbacks......

 

[vladimir]

That's easy. Just open up the valve and let a little bit out. Oxygen is lighter than Nitrogen so it will be at the top of the bottle and will come out first.

I guess this is the sort of information I missed out on by not taking the 33%-40% class (my chemistry professor was a little misinformed too, apparently). I'm taking notes now though--thanks a lot.

 

[tstormdiver]

I did IANTD's recreational Nitrox course (& later Adv. Nitrox). It was nothing but formulas (best mix, TOD's, MOD's, Dalton's Diamond....) until the very end end when we were finally able to use air tables & EAD formulas to figure bottom times. By the end of the course, I had a thorough understanding of gas laws, properties & physiology. That helped me to ace the exam.

 

[Herk_Man]

Cute, but incorrect. Oxygen (atomic weight 16) is heavier than nitrogen (atomic weight 14).

Are you SERIOUSLY correcting my joke??? If I did it according to actual scientific correctness, the joke wouldn't work. I didn't really expect someone to go to the trouble of verifying the scientific validity of a JOKE. For that you get TWO of these --->>>

Go find something useful to do like playing on the little white dotted lines in the road.

 

[keyshunter]

Are you SERIOUSLY correcting my joke??? If I did it according to actual scientific correctness, the joke wouldn't work. I didn't really expect someone to go to the trouble of verifying the scientific validity of a JOKE. For that you get TWO of these --->>>

Go find something useful to do like playing on the little white dotted lines in the road.

TSK, TSK. Perhaps you should take a deep nitrox breath.

Actually, I wasn't SERIOUSLY correcting your joke. At least, giving you the benefit of the doubt, I HOPED it was a joke. BTW, it was not much "trouble" to verify. Basic high school chemistry--atomic weights.

 

[Herk_Man]

There is a line from Good Morning Vietnam that very much applies to you. But cannot be repeated here so I'll let you work from memory or go watch the movie.