BSAC SPORTS DIVER THEORY QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 2025
When can a sports diver dive with an ocean diver or another sports diver? - CORRECT
ANSWER -In conditions already encountered by the ocean diver during their training
and under the supervision of a dive manager.
What's the initial limited depth for a sports diver? - CORRECT ANSWER -20m
What's the progressively extended depth of a sports diver? - CORRECT ANSWER -
35m
Is a neap tide small or large? - CORRECT ANSWER -Small
Is a spring tide small or large? - CORRECT ANSWER -Large
What causes a neap tide? - CORRECT ANSWER -When the Moon is at a right angle to
Earth and the Sun, creating the least amount of gravitational pull in one direction,
creating weak tides.
What causes spring tides? - CORRECT ANSWER -The gravity of the sun and moon
pull in the same direction, creating strong tides.
Neap tides coincide with what? - CORRECT ANSWER -The quarters of the moon
Spring tides coincide with what? - CORRECT ANSWER -New and full moon
What's the average tide cycle in most places? - CORRECT ANSWER -12 hours
How many tide cycles in a day? - CORRECT ANSWER -2
How many high tides in a day? - CORRECT ANSWER -2
How many low tides are there in a day? - CORRECT ANSWER -2
How many times do spring tides occur in a lunar month? - CORRECT ANSWER -2
How many times do neap tides occur in a lunar month? - CORRECT ANSWER -2
What's the tidal range? - CORRECT ANSWER -High water - low water
, What's slack water? - CORRECT ANSWER -At the tides turning point, when the water
speed is at its slowest.
What can make diving on a static site (e.g. a wreck) safer? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Diving in slack water
What is ground swell? - CORRECT ANSWER -When wind causing wave action on the
surface can be felt on the sea bed.
When is ground swell the roughest? - CORRECT ANSWER -When the surface winds
go against the tide/stream/current flow.
Is an incoming or outgoing tide better for visibility? - CORRECT ANSWER -Incoming
What are five factors that can affect visibility? - CORRECT ANSWER -- bad weather
- tides
- being close to river estuaries
- lots of phytoplankton + zooplankton (most likely to be a problem in spring in most
places.)
-disturbance by divers.
What's a thermocline? - CORRECT ANSWER -Sudden change in temperature, may
look oily/ shiny and produce a change in visibility
What can you do to reduce the effect of glare on the surface (as a boat crew member,
not a diver?) - CORRECT ANSWER -- wear polarised sunglasses
- position the boat with the sun behind you
What are four things you should take into account when doing a risk assessment? -
CORRECT ANSWER -Conditions, depth, breathing gas and equipment
As neoprene wetsuits compress, there is a loss of what? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Thermal insulation
What precautions can you take to minimise the risk of a dive to yourself and your
buddy? - CORRECT ANSWER --don't dive if you're unsure
- service equipment
- back up supply of gas
- pre agreed narcosis check (at agreed depth or gas level)
AND ANSWERS 2025
When can a sports diver dive with an ocean diver or another sports diver? - CORRECT
ANSWER -In conditions already encountered by the ocean diver during their training
and under the supervision of a dive manager.
What's the initial limited depth for a sports diver? - CORRECT ANSWER -20m
What's the progressively extended depth of a sports diver? - CORRECT ANSWER -
35m
Is a neap tide small or large? - CORRECT ANSWER -Small
Is a spring tide small or large? - CORRECT ANSWER -Large
What causes a neap tide? - CORRECT ANSWER -When the Moon is at a right angle to
Earth and the Sun, creating the least amount of gravitational pull in one direction,
creating weak tides.
What causes spring tides? - CORRECT ANSWER -The gravity of the sun and moon
pull in the same direction, creating strong tides.
Neap tides coincide with what? - CORRECT ANSWER -The quarters of the moon
Spring tides coincide with what? - CORRECT ANSWER -New and full moon
What's the average tide cycle in most places? - CORRECT ANSWER -12 hours
How many tide cycles in a day? - CORRECT ANSWER -2
How many high tides in a day? - CORRECT ANSWER -2
How many low tides are there in a day? - CORRECT ANSWER -2
How many times do spring tides occur in a lunar month? - CORRECT ANSWER -2
How many times do neap tides occur in a lunar month? - CORRECT ANSWER -2
What's the tidal range? - CORRECT ANSWER -High water - low water
, What's slack water? - CORRECT ANSWER -At the tides turning point, when the water
speed is at its slowest.
What can make diving on a static site (e.g. a wreck) safer? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Diving in slack water
What is ground swell? - CORRECT ANSWER -When wind causing wave action on the
surface can be felt on the sea bed.
When is ground swell the roughest? - CORRECT ANSWER -When the surface winds
go against the tide/stream/current flow.
Is an incoming or outgoing tide better for visibility? - CORRECT ANSWER -Incoming
What are five factors that can affect visibility? - CORRECT ANSWER -- bad weather
- tides
- being close to river estuaries
- lots of phytoplankton + zooplankton (most likely to be a problem in spring in most
places.)
-disturbance by divers.
What's a thermocline? - CORRECT ANSWER -Sudden change in temperature, may
look oily/ shiny and produce a change in visibility
What can you do to reduce the effect of glare on the surface (as a boat crew member,
not a diver?) - CORRECT ANSWER -- wear polarised sunglasses
- position the boat with the sun behind you
What are four things you should take into account when doing a risk assessment? -
CORRECT ANSWER -Conditions, depth, breathing gas and equipment
As neoprene wetsuits compress, there is a loss of what? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Thermal insulation
What precautions can you take to minimise the risk of a dive to yourself and your
buddy? - CORRECT ANSWER --don't dive if you're unsure
- service equipment
- back up supply of gas
- pre agreed narcosis check (at agreed depth or gas level)
