Certified Hyperbaric Technologist Practice Test

Nitrogen narcosis is commonly known as what?

1. Depth sickness

2. Rapture of the deep

3. Floating syndrome

4. Pressure-induced vertigo

The correct answer is: Rapture of the deep

Nitrogen narcosis is commonly referred to as "Rapture of the deep" because it describes a condition that affects divers at significant depths due to the increased partial pressure of nitrogen in the body. As a diver descends, the pressure increases, causing more nitrogen from the breathing gas to dissolve in the body’s tissues. The resulting symptoms can include euphoria, disorientation, and impaired judgment, resembling the effects of alcohol intoxication. The term "Rapture of the deep" poetically captures the euphoric and, at times, disorienting experience that can occur under these conditions. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent in scuba diving when divers go deeper than 30 meters (approximately 100 feet). The other terms provided do not accurately describe nitrogen narcosis; for instance, "depth sickness" typically refers to decompression sickness, while "floating syndrome" and "pressure-induced vertigo" do not encompass the full spectrum of symptoms associated with nitrogen narcosis.