Why do some people use more of the tank than others in scuba diving?
First of all, the people calling the contents of the tank “oxygen” are probably not scuba divers, because any entry level scuba student knows that pure O2 is only used by tech divers for decompression and only at the correct depths. I’m not trying to insult anyone, but just want you to realize that soeone who actually dives would have a better understanding of what you are asking. Recreational scuba divers normally breath compressed “air”, which has the same O2 content as the air you breath all day, every day, which is 21% Oxygen, 78% Nitrogen, and about 1% “other gasses”. NItrox and other mixed gasses are another story, but kind of irrelevent for answering your question. There is some truth to the statement that a persons size affects their rate of breathing gas consumption, but the biggest factors are… 1. Comfort in the water and learning to relax. 2. Learning the correct breathing pattern. A normal breathing pattern is to inhale, exhale, and a slight pause before inhaling again. W
