Divers who go to great depths in the ocean experience large differences in pressure between the surface and their final destinations below the surface. At times, they have to avoid quick changes in pressure because of the effects on the solubility of nitrogen in their blood. If the solubility decreases quickly, then gas bubbles can form in the person’s blood, causing a dangerous condition called “the bends.”

In one or two sentences, state whether you would expect the condition to be a greater hazard for divers as they dive down or as they return to the surface. Then, explain your prediction in terms of the solubility of gases in liquids at different pressures.

I would expect the condition to be a greater hazard for divers as they return to the surface rather than as they dive down because as pressure decreases, the solubility of gases decreases, leading to the potential formation of gas bubbles in the blood.

I would expect the condition of "the bends" to be a greater hazard for divers as they return to the surface. This is because as the diver ascends, the pressure decreases, leading to a decrease in the solubility of nitrogen in their blood and an increased likelihood of gas bubble formation.

I would expect the condition of "the bends" to be a greater hazard for divers as they return to the surface rather than as they dive down. This is because the solubility of gases in liquids decreases as the pressure decreases, which means that the dissolved nitrogen in the blood would come out of solution more readily when the divers ascend, potentially leading to the formation of gas bubbles and the development of "the bends."