nitrogen narcosis.....according to SSI

[rick00001967]

hello
i was going to post this question in the science forum but it does not seem like a very active forum so hopefully someone here can supply the correct info.
does anyone know what SSI considers to be the depth that the "average diver" begins to feel the affects of nitrogen narcosis ??
i don't really want to turn this into a debate on whether ssi is right or wrong. i just would like to know what they "currently" are saying.
the reason i ask is that on my science of diving exam (over a year ago) the correct answer was 90 to 100 feet. but i am doing a general knowledge review right now and the correct answer is 80 feet.
i have read through a bunch of my materials at home and cannot find any mention of either answer. and most of the general info i see online says below 100 feet.
please remember......i am only interested in what SSI currently considers the correct answer. thx !!

 

[Steve_C]

I know what you are asking but....

I am not sure what it means to have a definite number for the average diver feeling an average amount of narcosis on an average dive under average conditions. Different folks/agencies will interpret the average business differently.

 

[lemke]

Everybody is different... there is no correct answer. I think experiencing narcososis should be part of anyone's AOW instruction... before you discover it on your own.

 

[rick00001967]

i personally agree with both replies above. i just wanna have the answer that ssi expects if it is asked on the exam. and i have two different answers from two different exams

 

[knotical]

Sounds like an inconsistency that should be pointed out to SSI, or at least your instructor.

 

[luscioman]

In the SSI Deep Diving manual page 2-4:
60-100 Feet- --This causes effects such as nitrogen narcosis.

 

[flots am]

hello
i was going to post this question in the science forum but it does not seem like a very active forum so hopefully someone here can supply the correct info.
does anyone know what SSI considers to be the depth that the "average diver" begins to feel the affects of nitrogen narcosis ??

The real answer is that people respond differently to narcosis and perceive it differently and on different days can get hit a different depths.

The minimum I've heard is 80', but I'm nearly 100% certain that's just a number someone pulled out out their butt.

i don't really want to turn this into a debate on whether ssi is right or wrong. i just would like to know what they "currently" are saying.
the reason i ask is that on my science of diving exam (over a year ago) the correct answer was 90 to 100 feet. but i am doing a general knowledge review right now and the correct answer is 80 feet.
i have read through a bunch of my materials at home and cannot find any mention of either answer. and most of the general info i see online says below 100 feet.
please remember......i am only interested in what SSI currently considers the correct answer. thx !!

When filling out the test, I'd go with whatever they said it was in the KR.

If you have conflicting answers, check with your instructor or just go with the answer that's from the same year as the exam.

flots.

 

[Steve_C]

My brother in law was in Navy nuclear power school. They were taking a test and the instructor announced. "You all know that the correct answer to question 14 is C. However the key says D so if you want credit you should put down D."

Basic law. Bureaucracies are bureaucracies no matter what their purpose.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I would fail a student that did that.

There is a question on one of the TDI Advanced Nitrox exams regarding best mix that gives four possible answers. None of which are correct if you are truly thinking about the subject. You can pick one that's kinda close and is actually what the key says is the correct one. Do that and I'll mark it wrong. The class I just did all three students actually did what they were supposed to as technical divers and came up with the right percentage for the question. Not one of the choices. They all got it marked correct.

I hate subjective answers on tests as well. At what depth does the average diver feel narcosis? Define average. Under what conditions? What is the average divers tolerance for narcosis? What is that average diver's physiology? What's the water temp? Visibility? Was he/she dehydrated? Current mental state?

It's a stupid question and could lead to bad information. If the instructor does not see that they should not be administering the exam. If I was the instructor I'd expect the diver to point out that there is no hard and fast depth. it depends on many factors and may even be different for the same diver from one day to the next. That'd be a correct answer. Don't accept bad tests. Do what is right and give the right answer.

Hopefully your instructor is not a drone and thinks for him/herself as well and will see the benefit you bring by being real.

 

[rick00001967]

an excellent response (as usual Jim) but unfortunately in my world we argue all the time about poorly worded questions and even answers that are mathematically incorrect. but in the end if it does not match the answer key then it is marked as incorrect.
this is why i posed the original thread. we need to get 90% on the final exam i will be writing so i don't want to loose any points i don't have to.

i found the 100 question answer key and the science of diving exam answers (with explanations) in my instructor manuals. here's what i found. please remeber this information is geared towards recreational dive training. this is in no way intended to be used for technical level training.

science of diving test:
question....."nitrogen narcosis begins to affect the average diver at a depth of....."
choices......70 - 80ft, 80 - 90ft, 90 - 100ft, 110 - 130ft
correct answer.....90 - 100ft
explanation......"some novice divers may be affected at shallower depths, but nearly everyone is affected to some extentat depths greater than 90ft. divers tend to think narcosis is not a significant factor until much greater depths are reached, but as soon as impairment begins, narcosis has significant effect on the safety of a buddy team"

my general diving knowledge review test (to prep for my ITC):
question......"nitrogen narcosis begins to affect the average diver at a depth of......"
choices......70 - 80ft, 60 - 70ft, 80ft, 110 - 130ft
correct answer according to the answer key......80ft

i guess i will be contacting ssi to point out the discrepancy. i will include the several others i found as well. if i get it marked wrong on the final exam at least i have some ammunition to fight back with. lol