2006-12-26 23:14:34 · 5 answers · asked by jyan 2 in Sports ➔ Swimming & Diving
so dry not sodry
2006-12-26 23:17:58 · update #1
Compressed air used to fill tanks, has been run through a dehumidifier to remove a good deal of any moisture in it. It IS dry. This stops water from condensing inside the tank or you'd have to be doing what we call "tumbling" ( cleaning ) quite often of the tank's interior.
I saw someone mention that it's because we're breathing pure O2. Not so, pure O2 is only used on the surface to help treat cases of DCS (bends). It's actually lethal to breathe it at depth. About the highest percentage of O2 in a pony bottle for deco purposes, is usually about 50% O2, with the rest being nitrogen and other trace gasses. That mix too, is lethal beyond a certain depth but in shallow deco, helps you get your deco obligation over quicker, getting you on the surface a bit sooner after a dive. Other than that, for normal recreational diving, it's a mixture that's EXACTLY what you are breathing right now, 21% O2, just extremely dehumidified.
I also see people mistakenly thinking that it's dry just because it's under pressure. Not so. The air compressor at a gas station compresses air, but they have no need for it to be dehumidified. If you were to breathe that (not good, it contains hydrocarbons) it would be just as moist as what you're breathing now
2006-12-27 03:40:18 · answer #1 · answered by scubabob 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Despite popular belief, you are not breathing pure oxygen. If you were, you may get a natural high, it is possible! The reason that the air is so dry, is because the air in the tank is pressurized and there is no moisture in the tank, if there was, the inside of the tank would rust. In the air outside, there is moisture, which prevents dryness. If you have noticed, your throat begins to hurt after a while. That never happens outside, unless it is very dry.
2006-12-27 18:11:03 · answer #2 · answered by Bradley 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The reason that the air is so dry, is because the air in the tank is pressurized and there is no moisture in the tan
2006-12-28 10:35:03 · answer #3 · answered by timberrattler818 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its called "cottonmouth". You are breathing compressed air. When you exhale,moisture in the mouth is exhaled also. This also occurs when you are breathing regular air when not diving.
You can get a water bladder that attaches to the regulator that will allow you to drink water while underwater.
2006-12-28 19:19:20 · answer #4 · answered by Ralph T 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because you are breathing pure oxygen which tends to leave your mouth really dry and because you can move your mouth and tongue a great deal the air drys your mouth out
2006-12-27 07:22:18 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋