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What does it take to breathe underwater?

Nov. 18, 2019

A tank of air is just the beginning. A diver needs special equipment to safely navigate the underwater world.

Animals that live in the water, like seals, sea otters and fish, are naturally well-equipped for ocean diving.

We need special equipment, like SCUBA gear, to safely navigate the underwater world. Join our diver and learn about these important pieces of SCUBA gear.

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A scuba diver in full black gear and a blue mask swims vertically through a giant kelp forest, with orange numbered labels identifying different parts of the diving equipment

Regulator

The regulator makes breathing under water almost as easy as breathing on land. It reduces the high air pressure in the scuba tank to the pressure of the air around us.

Scuba tank

We have no equipment that works like the gills of fishes. Their gills pull oxygen out of the water around them. We have to breathe air, so we just bring it under water with us in a scuba tank that stores a lot of air in a small package. The cylinder has thick walls of aluminum or steel to hold compressed air inside.

Drysuit

Just like a sea otter has fur and other marine mammals have blubber, we also need insulation to stay warm in the water. With a drysuit, you not only stay warm but you can go into the ocean and come out dry! Drysuits are designed to not let water in. They have latex seals at the neck, wrists and ankles and have a waterproof zipper. Drysuits are great for colder water because you can add layers of warm clothing underneath.

Mask

Marine animals' eyes are specially adapted to see under water. If we were to open our eyes under water, everything would be blurry. We need to have air around our eyes to see. Masks put an air space between our eyes and the water so that we can see all the cool things in sea!

Explorer's vest

Fishes use what is called an air bladder to stay up in the water column instead of sinking to the bottom of the sea. The Explorer's Vest is designed to do the same thing. The vest is also known as a BCD (Buoyancy Compensating Device). We add air to the BCD at the surface so we can float and rest. We can let air out of the BCD to descend into the water. Once there, we can add air so that we stay off the bottom and swim like a fish!

Fins

Many fins are designed like the fins of animals, such as whales and sea lions. Can you imagine swimming with all of this gear on? No way! Fins make it easier to move through the water by using the large muscles of our legs. We use less energy and can go farther and faster using fins.

Got a question about diving or the ocean? Ask Diver Dana!

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