Air Consumption Rates for Scuba Diving - SAC Rates, RMV Rates, Easy Calculations

By Natalie Gibb, About.com Guide

Warning!!! This tutorial does include some (very simple) calculations. But don't be afraid - even if you are terrible at math, you should not have much difficulty using the simple formulas given in the following pages to calculate your air consumption rate. This tutorial is designed to walk you through basic information on air consumption rates in a logical order. Click through the pages to get a thorough introduction to air consumption rates for scuba diving, or use the links below to skip ahead to the parts you find interesting.

• What Is an Air Consumption Rates and Why Is It Useful to Know Yours?
• What Is a "Normal" or "Good" Air Consumption Rate?
• What Is a SAC Rate?
• What Is an RMV Rate?
• How to Measure Your Air Consumption Rate on a Normal Dive
• How to Plan a Dedicated Dive to Measure Your Air Consumption Rate
• Formula for Calculating Your SAC Rate
• Formula for Calculating Your RMV Rate
• Determine How Long Your Air Supply Will Last (Imperial)
• Determine How Long Your Air Supply Will Last (Metric)