SSI Science of Diving & Open Water Diver Final Exams – Comprehensive Study Guide, Key
Concepts & Practice Questions Review
What are the two dive flags - correct answer ✔✔Recreational Diving and Alpha Flag
1982 - correct answer ✔✔When did OSHA exempt scientific diving from commercial diving
The absolute pressure expressed in terms of atmospheres absolute at 33 feet in sea water is:
-A: 2 ata
-B:1 ata
-C: 4 ata
-D: 3 ata - correct answer ✔✔A: 2 ata
What will the buoyancy of an object be (positive, neutral, or negative) if it displaces an amount
of water:
a. more than its own weight?
b. less than its own weight?
c. equal to its own weight? - correct answer ✔✔a. positive
b. negative
c. neutral
AAUS - correct answer ✔✔American Academy of Underwater Sciences
Gauge pressure is defined as:
-A: Hydrostatic pressure minus 1 ata
-B: The pressure at the surface
,-C: The depth reading on a gauge
-D: Absolute pressure minus 1 ata - correct answer ✔✔D: Gauge pressure is defined as Absolute
pressure minus 1 ata
What is purpose of first stage - correct answer ✔✔to reduce cylinder pressure to immediate
pressure and keep that pressure as constant as possible
Define Scientific Diving - correct answer ✔✔Diving performed solely as a necessary part of a
scientific, research, or educational activity by employees whose sole purpose for diving is to
perform scientific research tasks
When does squeeze in the ear occur - correct answer ✔✔When the presure outside the ear is
greater than the pressure inside the ear
The first symptom of a sinus squeeze is usually:
-A: a dull pain deep within the head
-B: a sharp pain at the base of the neck
-C: a crushing pain high in the chest
-D: a sharp pain above the eyes - correct answer ✔✔D: a sharp pain above the eyes
What is the relationship between increasing and decreasing depth and water pressure? - correct
answer ✔✔With increasing depth the water pressure increases.
With decreasing depth the water pressure decreases.
If you experience pain in the ear during descent:
,-A: Stop the descent and ascend till the pain stops
-B: abort the dive
-C: place a finger in the ear canal and gently massage the ear until the pain ceases
-D: continue the descent while gently exhaling into the mask - correct answer ✔✔A: Stop the
descent and ascend till the pain stops.
Body heat is lost at a rate of ___ than air. - correct answer ✔✔25-30 times faster
What year was the petition by United Brotherhood Carpenters and Joiners of America AFL-CIO
with respect to diving operations filed? - correct answer ✔✔1975
The ultimate responsibility for safe diving procedures rests with the ... - correct answer
✔✔individual diver
Proper equalization techniques must be learned in order to:
-A: prevent sinus squeeze
-B: prevent ear pain
-C: prevent squeeze injuries
-D: all answers are correct - correct answer ✔✔D
At what depth does the greatest expension occur - correct answer ✔✔4 feet
What are the absolute pressures, air volume, and air density in atmospheres, for:
a. 10m/33ft
b. 20m/66ft
b. 30m/99ft
, c. 40m/132ft - correct answer ✔✔a. 2 bar/ata, 1/2, x 2
b. 3 bar/ata, 1/3, x 3
c. 4 bar/ata, 1/4, x4
d. 5 bar/ata, 1/5, x5
In what year did OSHA exempt scientific diving from commercial diving regulations? - correct
answer ✔✔1982
The purpose of equalization is to:
-A: ensure the uneven application of pressure between the water and air spaces in the body
-B: prevent water from entering air spaces in the body
-C: introduce additional air into body air spaces in response to increasing external pressure
-D: remove all fluids from body air spaces - correct answer ✔✔C: introduce additional air into
body air spaces in response to increasing external pressure
True or false: One of the requirements for meeting the scientific diving exemption to OSHA
commercial diving regulations is that the majority of members of an organization's Diving
Control Board must be active scientific divers - correct answer ✔✔True
Who fought to obtain a scientific diving exemption in 1975 with a petition filed with OSHA -
correct answer ✔✔United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
The three primary features to look for in a quality Exposure System are: - correct answer
✔✔Thickness, fit, & seam integrity
Under what two conditions did OSHA exempt scientific diving from commercial diving
regulations? - correct answer ✔✔Diving Safety Manual and Diving Control (Safety) Board
Concepts & Practice Questions Review
What are the two dive flags - correct answer ✔✔Recreational Diving and Alpha Flag
1982 - correct answer ✔✔When did OSHA exempt scientific diving from commercial diving
The absolute pressure expressed in terms of atmospheres absolute at 33 feet in sea water is:
-A: 2 ata
-B:1 ata
-C: 4 ata
-D: 3 ata - correct answer ✔✔A: 2 ata
What will the buoyancy of an object be (positive, neutral, or negative) if it displaces an amount
of water:
a. more than its own weight?
b. less than its own weight?
c. equal to its own weight? - correct answer ✔✔a. positive
b. negative
c. neutral
AAUS - correct answer ✔✔American Academy of Underwater Sciences
Gauge pressure is defined as:
-A: Hydrostatic pressure minus 1 ata
-B: The pressure at the surface
,-C: The depth reading on a gauge
-D: Absolute pressure minus 1 ata - correct answer ✔✔D: Gauge pressure is defined as Absolute
pressure minus 1 ata
What is purpose of first stage - correct answer ✔✔to reduce cylinder pressure to immediate
pressure and keep that pressure as constant as possible
Define Scientific Diving - correct answer ✔✔Diving performed solely as a necessary part of a
scientific, research, or educational activity by employees whose sole purpose for diving is to
perform scientific research tasks
When does squeeze in the ear occur - correct answer ✔✔When the presure outside the ear is
greater than the pressure inside the ear
The first symptom of a sinus squeeze is usually:
-A: a dull pain deep within the head
-B: a sharp pain at the base of the neck
-C: a crushing pain high in the chest
-D: a sharp pain above the eyes - correct answer ✔✔D: a sharp pain above the eyes
What is the relationship between increasing and decreasing depth and water pressure? - correct
answer ✔✔With increasing depth the water pressure increases.
With decreasing depth the water pressure decreases.
If you experience pain in the ear during descent:
,-A: Stop the descent and ascend till the pain stops
-B: abort the dive
-C: place a finger in the ear canal and gently massage the ear until the pain ceases
-D: continue the descent while gently exhaling into the mask - correct answer ✔✔A: Stop the
descent and ascend till the pain stops.
Body heat is lost at a rate of ___ than air. - correct answer ✔✔25-30 times faster
What year was the petition by United Brotherhood Carpenters and Joiners of America AFL-CIO
with respect to diving operations filed? - correct answer ✔✔1975
The ultimate responsibility for safe diving procedures rests with the ... - correct answer
✔✔individual diver
Proper equalization techniques must be learned in order to:
-A: prevent sinus squeeze
-B: prevent ear pain
-C: prevent squeeze injuries
-D: all answers are correct - correct answer ✔✔D
At what depth does the greatest expension occur - correct answer ✔✔4 feet
What are the absolute pressures, air volume, and air density in atmospheres, for:
a. 10m/33ft
b. 20m/66ft
b. 30m/99ft
, c. 40m/132ft - correct answer ✔✔a. 2 bar/ata, 1/2, x 2
b. 3 bar/ata, 1/3, x 3
c. 4 bar/ata, 1/4, x4
d. 5 bar/ata, 1/5, x5
In what year did OSHA exempt scientific diving from commercial diving regulations? - correct
answer ✔✔1982
The purpose of equalization is to:
-A: ensure the uneven application of pressure between the water and air spaces in the body
-B: prevent water from entering air spaces in the body
-C: introduce additional air into body air spaces in response to increasing external pressure
-D: remove all fluids from body air spaces - correct answer ✔✔C: introduce additional air into
body air spaces in response to increasing external pressure
True or false: One of the requirements for meeting the scientific diving exemption to OSHA
commercial diving regulations is that the majority of members of an organization's Diving
Control Board must be active scientific divers - correct answer ✔✔True
Who fought to obtain a scientific diving exemption in 1975 with a petition filed with OSHA -
correct answer ✔✔United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
The three primary features to look for in a quality Exposure System are: - correct answer
✔✔Thickness, fit, & seam integrity
Under what two conditions did OSHA exempt scientific diving from commercial diving
regulations? - correct answer ✔✔Diving Safety Manual and Diving Control (Safety) Board
