PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3 - Knowledge Review

PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3 explained to get ready for the exam and understand the PADI Open Water Knowledge Review 3 Answers.

​In PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3 we focus on more practical scuba diving tips for beginner divers. In chapter 3 we cover currents, descents, ascents, buddy system, rescue scenarios, boat, and shore diving procedures.

After understanding the PADI Open Water Knowledge Review 3 Answers you are halfway through the PADI Open Water Diver course.

Question 1 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

1. One way to avoid disorientation while descending and ascending is to:

Answer: C - follow a reference.

Descending and ascending with a reference is always recommend, especially for beginner divers. A reference can be a line, sloping bottom, wall, or pinnacle.

One way to avoid disorientation while descending and ascending is to follow a reference line

​A reference can guide you to the dive site which is great in low visibility. Even better is that a reference gives you a sense of direction and tells you which way is up or down. This greatly helps to avoid disorientation underwater.

Question 2 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

2.​ My buddy and I are diving from a boat and there’s a mild current. In most circumstances, we would ___________ for the first part of the dive.

Answer: A - swim into the current

Diving in a mild current is ok and mild currents are common. We recommend that you start your dive swimming against a mild current as you have more energy at the beginning of the dive. 

When you turn back you will go with the current back to your starting point, which is easier and you will conserve more air for the way back.

Question 3 - PADI Open Water Knowledge Review 3 Answers

3. ​My buddy and I get disoriented while boat diving. There is a mild current, and we surface away from the boat. We should___________. If unable to reach the boat or too tired, we should _____________.

Answer: B - Swim across the current to reach the trail line, become buoyant and signal the boat to pick us up.

It is easier to swim across a current than against it. This way you can still move closer to the boat without overexerting yourself.

Trail line at the back of the dive boat.

​Behind the boat will be a trail line, which is a line with a buoy attached in the end. Try and grab that line and pull yourself towards the boat or the boat staff will pull you in. In the unlikely event, the current is too strong, you can signal the boat for help and they will pick you up.

Question 4 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

4. ​My buddy and I remain neutrally buoyant and stay above the bottom enough to avoid contact. We do this because bottom contact:

Answer: A, B, and C

• may injure or kill fragile aquatic life.
• tends to disturb the bottom and reduce the visibility.
• increases the risk of accidental cuts, scrapes, or stings.

We must never touch the bottom as it can damage the marine life, you can stir up the bottom and you might get injured.

Avoid getting too close to the reef with good buoyancy and trim.

​On the other hand, if you are too far away you won’t see anything. The trick is to find the perfect distance from the bottom, so we don’t touch it but still get close enough to enjoy the marine life.

To do this you need to learn to control your buoyancy and you will practice this during the PADI Open Water Diver course skills. On top of that the more you scuba dive, the better your buoyancy will become.

Question 5 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

5. ​When assessing conditions, if there is anything that causes me significant anxiety or concern, if I can’t address it, I should not dive. Ultimately, I am responsible for my own safety, so only I can make the final decision to dive.

Answer: TRUE

Being nervous before the dive is more common than you think and many beginners and sometimes experienced divers feel this. 

If you experience significant anxiety before the dive then please let your buddy, Divemaster, and your Dive Instructor know before the dive. Then discuss if you should continue or take a break from diving until you feel confident again.

Talk to your instructor if you feel anxiety before the dive.

​It is important to never feel ashamed about this and don’t let anyone pressure you into diving. In the end, it is your life, and don’t forget scuba diving is supposed to be fun. 

Trying to scuba dive with significant anxiety can get you in a lot of trouble, so be honest to yourself.

Just remember that during your PADI Open Water Diver course you will learn scuba diving in small steps to build confidence and you will never be thrown into the deep end on your first experience. But if your anxiety is too much then you should talk to your instructor and cancel the dive.

Question 6 - PADI Open Water Knowledge Review 3 Answers

6. ​When planning to dive in an environment that is new to me, it is recommended that I get a local orientation from an experienced diver or professional who knows the procedures, hazards, points of interest, and other factors unique to the environment.

Answer: TRUE

You should always get a local orientation before planning a dive on a new dive site that you are not familiar with.

Not every place with water is safe to scuba dive in. Some places have strong currents, rapidly changing tides, dangerous marine life, or other hazards.

Local orientation from an experienced diver.

​Getting a local orientation from an experienced diver or professional who knows the procedures, hazards, points of interest and other factors unique to the environment can help you plan your dive safely or decide to change dive sites if needed.

Never dive in a new environment that you are not familiar with. The best way to get a local orientation is to book an organized dive trip at a local certified dive shop.

Question 7 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

​7. Risks of diving beyond my training and experience limits include that:

Answer: A, B, and C

• in some forms of diving, the hazards are not obvious.
• it can cause me to have a false sense of security.
• anxiety from doing so can distract me from noticing other problems.

Some risks and hazards are not always obvious to the untrained eye. Some types of currents, marine life, tides, and other hazards are not always easy to identify. This can lead to a false sense of security or increases your anxiety levels. Feeling nervous or anxious can cloud your judgment and reaction speed.

You can solve this by taking more specialized dive training, have an experienced certified dive leader with you on a dive, or just choose to cancel the dive and plan another easier dive.

Question 8 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

8. ​While planning a shore dive, my dive buddy says it will be “no problem” diving in high surf that I’ve never been trained in nor have experience with. Looking at the surf, I don’t think I am prepared for diving in it. My best response is to:

Answer: C - politely refuse to dive and suggest an alternate location with no significant surf.

Too many people feel the pressure to follow other people's opinions, but in the end, it is your life at stake. Never let anyone pressure you in participating in a dive that you are not comfortable with. 

Just ask them to change the dive plan to something that you feel good with and if someone keeps pushing you, then cancel everything and find a new dive buddy or leader. Scuba diving is supposed to be fun and safe. There is no room for ego in the scuba dive community.

Question 9 - PADI Open Water Knowledge Review 3 Answers

9. ​To prevent and/or handle injuries caused by aquatic life, I should:

Answer: B, C, D, D, E, and F

• watch where I put my feet, hands, and knees.
• wear an exposure suit.
• treat all organisms with respect.
• be familiar with potentially hazardous animals where I’m diving.
• be prepared to provide first aid for aquatic life injuries.

Being familiar with potentially hazardous animals can help you identify them easier. Never touch anything underwater, even if you are convinced the animal is harmless. Not only is it bad for the animal to disturb them, but many dangerous marine species are camouflaged or imitate the looks of a harmless animal.

Do NOT touch marine life while diving!

​Try mastering your buoyancy before diving over the reef to prevent accidentally touching it. Practice this over a sandy bottom during your first dives.

Wearing an export suit can help you prevent cuts and stings if you accidentally touch dangerous marine life. Some divers wear gloves to be able to touch marine species. This is very bad and you should never touch anything while scuba diving.

Make sure you have a first aid kit on the boat or/and on land to treat injuries in the unlikely event you do get stung or receive a cut. Then always check with a physician afterward. 

Certified Rescue Divers, EFR, Divemasters, and Diving Instructors are trained to provide basic first aid, but they are not doctors and for this reason, you should always let a licensed physician look at any dive-related injury.

Question 10 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

10. ​My buddy and I accidentally find ourselves in a rip current. There are no special, local procedures, so we follow the generally recommended action of

Answer: D - inflating our BCDs and swimming parallel to shore.

A rip current is hard to recognize with an untrained eye. They can be tricky to deal with and potentially dangerous. Rip currents are usually too strong to swim against. 

We recommend you swim parallel to the rip current towards the shore. Make sure you always fully inflate your BCD when you are at the surface. In case the rip current is too strong you should signal for help and stay close to your buddy.

A local orientation can help in preventing getting catch in a rip current in the first place by not diving in areas know for rip currents.

Question 11 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

11. ​Depending upon my location, tides can cause significant changes to depth, currents, and visibility, or they may have hardly any effect.

Answer: TRUE

Tides are mainly caused by the position of the sun and moon. In some places, you hardly have any changes in the tides, which makes it easy to plan your dives.

In some locations, however, tides can have significant changes to depth, currents, and visibility. A good dive plan is important to avoid a problem and make sure you get a local orientation.

Question 12 - PADI Open Water Knowledge Review 3 Answers

12. ​When boarding a dive boat, the divemaster asks me to fill my name in on the roll. The reason for this is to:

Answer: D - make sure everyone’s aboard after each dive.

A boat master which can be a certified Divemaster or Scuba Diving Instructor will stay on the boat looking after surface logistics and your safety.

To make sure that everyone is back on the boat before leaving the dive site, they use a dive roster to track the divers. It is common that you fill this in before and after the dive and confirm that you entered and exit the water.

Question 13 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

13. ​The best entry is usually the:

Answer: C - easiest one.

You can enter the water with different techniques like a backward roll, giant stride or put on your scuba equipment in the water.

Giant stride entry

There is no best entry. In the end, it all depends on conditions and your comfort level, so choose the easiest and safest entry technique.

Question 14 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

14. ​I should stay well away from the boat propeller at all times, even when the engine isn’t running.

Answer: TRUE

Boat propellers can cause serious injuries, so it is important to stay far away from them. Even if an engine is not running you need to stay away as a captain can decide to start the engine at any time.

Stay far away from the boat propeller.

Question 15 - PADI Open Water Knowledge Review 3 Answers

15. ​My buddy and I are diving from a boat in mild to moderate current. There is a line from the back of the boat where we’ll enter, which leads to the mooring line at the front of the boat. The purpose of the line leading to the mooring line is to:

Answer: D - let us pull ourselves to the mooring line.

It can be hard to swim against a mild to moderate current on the surface to the descent line. Even if you are a strong swimmer it can take a lot of energy and you might get overexerted before the dive. This can lead to stress or bad air consumption during the dive.

Using is line from the back of the boat to the descent line can help you to stay relaxed and conserve energy before descending.

Question 16 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

16. ​My buddy and I surface and the boat is not in sight, nor is there a float and we are beyond sight of shore. We should inflate our BCDs, deploy our surface signaling devices and stay together.

Answer: TRUE

With a good dive plan, you should come back to your starting point. In the unlikely event, you might surface with no boat or float inside you should first fully inflate your BCD, stay close to your buddy, deploy your surface signaling device and wait for help.

Question 17 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

17. ​Training that expands and develops my skills in preventing and managing problems include:

Answer: B, C, and D

• PADI Rescue Diver.
• PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider.
• Emergency First Response Primary and Secondary Care courses.

During your PADI Open Water Diver course, you will learn to prevent and deal with some emergencies. The PADI Rescue Diver, Emergency Oxygen Provider, and Emergency First Response Primary and Secondary Care courses specialize in rescue training for almost all scenarios.

​We highly recommend you to take these courses if you plan regular dive trips and/or want to become a PADI Divemaster and/or Instructor. These courses are fun, serious, and potentially life-saving.

Question 18 - PADI Open Water Knowledge Review 3 Answers

18. At the surface, I have a problem. If I have not already done so, the first thing I should do is:

Answer: A - make myself buoyant (inflate BCD and/or drop weights).

The first thing you should always do when reaching the surface is to fully inflate your BCD to become positively buoyant.

​Especially in an emergency, you want to be as positively buoyant as possible, so besides fully inflating your BCD you should also drop your weight belt or integrated weight system.

Question 19 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

19. ​A diver at the surface begins to struggle. He has wide, unseeing eyes and he has pushed off his mask. His BCD isn’t inflated and he doesn’t inflate it when the divemaster calls for him to do so. This diver is _______________. To help, I should first ______________.

Answer: D - out of control; make myself and the diver buoyant (inflate BCD/drop weights).

A panicked diver at the surface usually does not respond well. It is therefore important to make sure they are positively buoyant by inflating their BCD and dropping the weight system.

​Don’t forget to also inflate your BCD and drop your weight system to assist an out-of-control panic diver better. In the PADI Rescue Diver course you will learn more techniques to deal with this situation, so ask your instructor for more information on how to join this potentially life-saving course.

Question 20 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

20. With an unresponsive diver underwater, the primary concern is___________. Once at the surface, besides establishing buoyancy and calling for help, the primary concern is ________________.

Answer: B - getting the victim to the surface, checking for breathing, and providing rescue breaths if the victim isn’t breathing.

It is rare, but in the unlikely event, you might encounter an unresponsive diver underwater you should first get the victim to the surface. 

​At the surface establish positive buoyancy for you and the victim and check for breathing. If the diver is not breathing you should start rescue breaths while towing the non-breathing diver to the boat or shore.

Learn more about the temporarily updated PADI Rescue Exercise 7 Guidelines

Question 21 - PADI Open Water Knowledge Review 3 Answers

21. ​While diving, I begin to feel exhausted and air-starved because I have been swimming strenuously. I should

Answer: B - signal “stop” and rest.

You should always move as slow and relaxed as possible when you scuba dive. In case, you do feel overexerted you should stop all activity, rest, and signal your buddy.

When you calm down you can continue the dive. If not then you should cancel the dive and ascent slowly. There is always another dive.

Question 22 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

22. ​In helping an unresponsive diver, after you check for breathing and provide CPR as needed (once out of the water), which of the following has the highest priority?

Answer: A - Contact emergency medical care.

After checking for breathing and provide CPR you should prioritize contacting emergency medical care to not lose evacuation time. After EMS is on its way they can give you advice and you can continue providing CPR and First Aid.

Question 23 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

23. ​Although it shouldn’t have happened, on a dive at 10 metres/30 feet, I fail to watch my SPG and run out of air. I don’t have a pony bottle or self-contained ascent bottle. My buddy is about 12 metres/40 feet away, and has an alternate second stage. My best option is probably to

Answer: C - make a controlled emergency swimming ascent.

In the unlikely event, you run out of air and your buddy is too far away from you, you can perform a CESA - Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent and slowly reach the surface.

Steps to perform a CESA:

1. Get into the ascent position with your right hand above your head and use your left hand to deflate the BCD.
2. On your last breath start swimming not faster than 18m/minute while continuously exhaling(make a continuous sound)
3. At the surface orally inflate your BCD to establish positive buoyancy

CESA - Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent

Question 24 - PADI Open Water Knowledge Review 3 Answers

24. ​Any diver who has been unresponsive in or underwater requires a medical examination, even if the person seems fully recovered.

Answer: TRUE

You never know 100% if a diver is fully recovered. There is a good chance that an unresponsive diver underwater has water in the lungs and even a little bit of water can damage the lung. It is therefore important to always do a medical examination with a physician after the event.

Question 25 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

25. ​At a minimum, I should have ____ visual and ____ audible signaling devices.

Answer: A - 1, 1

A visual signaling device can be a DSMB which you can inflate like a long, slim, easy-to-see balloon. This will alert boats that you are close to the surface or are making an ascent. You can also use a fully inflated DSMB at the surface to signal boats for help.

​An audible signaling device can be a whistle or air horn to alert boats that you need assistance at the surface.

Question 26 - PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3

26. ​My buddy and I are underwater within 6 meters/20 feet of our float with a locally-recognized dive flag. We hear a boat, and it sounds close and is getting closer.

Answer: B - We should stay deep enough to be safe. The boater may not see or recognize the flag.

Most captains are well trained and always look for dive flags, but a captain might miss it, or a dive flag might be hard to see in certain weather conditions. 

Never assume a boat will see your dive flag and always stay deep enough until the boat passes.

Always review your PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 3 with a certified PADI Diving Instructor and PADI Dive Shop during your PADI Open Water Diver Course. Read full disclaimer here.

Continue to PADI Open Water Diver Manual Answers Chapter 4