The introduction of scuba gear (an acronym for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus), has redefined underwater diving altogether. Through the advances of technology, scuba gear allows people to dive deep below the surface of the water and still be able to breathe. Opening new avenues for exploration, scuba diving offers unlimited opportunities to unravel the mysteries of the underwater world. The scuba diving system is the outcome of extensive technological research and innovation spanning almost 300 years. It is now the most widely used system for breathing underwater. Scuba diving offers the divers unlimited freedom of movement under water because they swim with fins, minus any heavy equipment. The scuba gear is comparatively inexpensive and simple to operate and maintain. Scuba diving is currently used for recreational diving, as well as for conducting underwater tasks for military, scientific and commercial purposes. Apart from the conventional mask and fins, a basic scuba set comprises a cylinder of compressed air attached to a two-stage ""demand regulator."" The purpose of the regulator is to lower the air pressure from the cylinder and allocate it to the diver as needed. Scuba diving is commonly sub-categorized into two types: open scuba and closed scuba. Open scuba allows the diver to breathe air from a cylinder or canister, and the exhaled air goes into the water and rises to the surface as bubbles. An improvisation of this model, closed scuba allows the diver to reuse the same gas. Pursued professionally, as well as a hobby, scuba diving has been a blessing for scientists and researchers yearning to explore the underwater world. |
