Breathing dry air, scuba divers tend to become dehydrated while diving due to?

Breathing dry air, scuba divers tend to become dehydrated while diving due to?

• A. High humidity
• B. Moisturizing dry inhaled air
• C. Saltwater exposure
• D. Drinking too much water

Answer: (B)

When you breathe dry air, your body humidifies it to protect the lungs. That humidification pulls moisture from your own tissues and mucous membranes, causing insensible water loss. In diving, with dry, pressurized gas and often higher ventilation, this moisture loss can add up and contribute to dehydration if fluid intake isn’t kept up. So the dehydration is due to the body moisturizing the dry inhaled air, not because of saltwater exposure or drinking too much water.

When you breathe dry air, your body humidifies it to protect the lungs. That humidification pulls moisture from your own tissues and mucous membranes, causing insensible water loss. In diving, with dry, pressurized gas and often higher ventilation, this moisture loss can add up and contribute to dehydration if fluid intake isn’t kept up. So the dehydration is due to the body moisturizing the dry inhaled air, not because of saltwater exposure or drinking too much water.