Book 6, Question 124
Why Do Divers Need Tanks?
People can't breathe underwater, because our lungs can't pull oxygen out of water the way gills do. So divers carry tanks that hold compressed air, which is air squeezed into a small space. A tank is a backpack full of breaths!
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 6
More fun facts
- Divers going on long, deep dives need more air, just like a car needs a bigger gas tank for a long trip.
- Deep down, the oxygen in a diver's air presses harder on the body and can even become harmful.
- Water pressure squeezes the air in a dry suit, so some divers wear a small extra tank to add air to the suit.
- Some divers breathe from a separate tank on their side after they leave the bottom.
- Working divers get their air either from a hose to the surface or from tanks they carry, called scuba.
Sources: NOAA, U.S. Department of Energy
Questions kids ask
What does scuba mean?
It stands for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, gear that lets divers carry their own air.