Science of underwater diving

The science of underwater diving includes those concepts which are useful for understanding the underwater environment in which diving takes place, and its influence on the diver. It includes aspects of physics, physiology and oceanography. The practice of scientific work while diving is known as Scientific diving. These topics are covered to a greater or lesser extent in diver training programs, on the principle that understanding the concepts may allow the diver to avoid problems and deal with them more effectively when they cannot be avoided.

A basic understanding of the physics of the underwater environment is foundational to the understanding of the short and long term physiological effects on the diver, and the associated hazards of the diving environment and their consequences which are inherent to diving.