North Hawaii Dive Adventures

Nitrox Diver Course Academic Outline

Unit 1: Introduction

• What is Nitrox
• A Bit of History
• Some common myths and misconceptions

Unit 2: Gases & Gas Mixtures

• Gas Basics
• What's in Air
• Some Facts about Individual Gases
• How Gases Behave
• Converting Between Depth and Pressure
• Calculating Partial Pressures

Unit 3: The Physiology of Diving and Nitrox

• Narcosis
• Decompression Sickness
• Physiological Effects of Low Oxygen Levels
• Physiological Effects of High Oxygen Levels

Unit 4: Choosing the Best Nitrox Mix

• Enriched Air NItrox Mixtures
• Calculating MOD
• Choosing your "Best Mix"

Unit 5: Dive Tables and Dive Computers

• Dive Tables
• Equivalent Air Depth and Standard Air Tables
• Using NAUI's RGBM Tables
• The Rule of Halves
• Dive Computers

Unit 6: Oxygen Precautions and Preparing Nitrox

• O2 Precautions
• The Fire Triangle
• 40% Rule
• Methods of Making Nitrox

Unit 7: Knowing What you Breathe

• Oxygen Analyzers
• Analyzing Your Gas
• Cylinder Labeling
• Filling Out the Logbook