On Tue, 27 Sep 2005 18:58:18 -0500, Richard J Kinch
wrote:

Jeff Wisnia writes:

Does that have also something to do with why deep sea divers use a
helium oxygen mix instead of nitrogen oxygen (air), because maybe the
helium doesn't give them "the bends" as easily as nitrogen?

Helium is inert, nitrogen is narcotic at depth.

Helium is much less viscous; much less effort to respire vs other gases.

Instead of helium, sport divers poison themselves with excess oxygen to
reduce the pN2 in the mix, aka "nitrox". Sport divers can't be trusted
with helium mixes. This is considered cool and advanced.

Sport divers are categorically dumber than ... whom? Jeff, a
graduate of MIT, was a sport diver. My son, a grad of U of MN in EE,
is a sport diver. I doubt that many professional deep divers have
PhD's.