SDI Open Water Scuba Diver Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Test Prep

The primary concern during a controlled ascent is maintaining buoyancy. This is crucial because proper buoyancy control helps to prevent rapid ascents, which can lead to barotrauma or decompression sickness. As divers ascend, changes in pressure affect their bodies and the gas in their lungs, so it's essential to manage buoyancy accurately to allow for a gradual ascent rate and to ensure that any built-up gases in the body can safely escape without causing discomfort or injury.

Monitoring time, while important for ensuring that you complete your dive within limits and for decompression purposes, is secondary to maintaining buoyancy during the ascent. Helping others ascend is a valuable part of diving teamwork, but it should not overshadow the need for individual buoyancy control. Resurfacing quickly is generally not advisable, as it can lead to serious health risks; controlled ascents prioritize safety and gradual ascent rates over speed.