PADI Rescue Diver Practice Exam

The purpose of a safety stop during ascent is primarily to allow for decompression. When divers ascend from depth, nitrogen that has accumulated in their bodies under pressure is released as the pressure decreases. A safety stop, typically done at around 15 to 20 feet (5 to 6 meters) for 3 to 5 minutes, provides an opportunity for nitrogen to off-gas more safely from the body. This helps to prevent decompression sickness, commonly known as "the bends," which can occur if divers ascend too quickly or after spending extended periods underwater.

This practice is an essential part of safe diving protocols and serves as a precautionary measure, even for dives that do not require mandatory decompression stops by dive tables or computers. While increasing dive time, assessing diving conditions, or reducing buoyancy could be considerations in other contexts, they do not directly pertain to the fundamental purpose of a safety stop in managing the risks associated with nitrogen accumulation and decompression in diving.