PADI Divemaster Certification Practice Exam

What do Haldanean models utilize to account for gas absorption in the body?

1. Multiple dives per day

2. Pressure sensors

3. Several tissue compartments

4. Depth-related data

The correct answer is: Several tissue compartments

Haldanean models utilize several tissue compartments to account for gas absorption in the body. This model is grounded in the understanding that different types of body tissues absorb gases at various rates, primarily due to differences in their blood flow and solubility. In the context of diving physiology, the body can be viewed as consisting of multiple compartments, each representing different tissues or types of body mass, with unique rates of gas uptake and release. This feature allows for a more accurate representation of how nitrogen, for example, is absorbed and off-gassed during dives and ascents, especially when considering different diving profiles and conditions. The Haldanean model divides the body into compartments that represent the varying rates at which gases are taken up based on the ambient pressure and the solubility of the gases in those tissues. By accounting for these differences, the model helps predict the onset of decompression sickness and assists in developing safe dive tables. While the other options like multiple dives per day, pressure sensors, and depth-related data might relate in some way to diving considerations or safety, they do not directly pertain to the specific mechanism of how the Haldanean model addresses gas absorption through tissue dynamics.