What physiological adjustment occurs in a diver during descent?

During descent, a diver experiences increased ambient pressure, which significantly affects how gases behave in the body. The correct response is that there is increased absorption of nitrogen by tissues due to this higher ambient pressure.

As the diver descends, the pressure around them increases, which compresses the gases present in their lungs and bloodstream. According to Henry's Law, the solubility of a gas in a liquid is proportional to the pressure of that gas above the liquid. Therefore, with the increase in pressure, nitrogen that is originally dissolved in the diver's blood and tissues is driven to dissolve in greater quantities. This is particularly relevant because nitrogen is a major component of the breathing gas, and as the pressure increases, the tissues can absorb more nitrogen, thereby elevating the risk of decompression sickness if the diver ascends too quickly.

This phenomenon underscores the importance of understanding how gas laws apply to diving, especially regarding safe ascent rates and the need for decompression stops during ascents to allow the nitrogen levels to safely reduce back to normal.

In contrast, increased heart rate and blood flow, while they may occur due to the physical stress of diving, do not directly relate to the adjustment caused by increased nitrogen absorption. Decreased absorption of nitrogen would not be