Scuba diving is swimming underwater , or taking part in another activity, while using a scuba set . By carrying a source of breathing gas (usually compressed air ), the scuba diver is able to stay underwater longer than with the simple breath-holding techniques used in snorkeling and free-diving , and is not hindered by air lines to a remote air source. The scuba diver typically swims underwater by using fins attached to the feet.

The term SCUBA arose during World War II and originally referred to United States combat frogmen 's oxygen rebreathers , developed by Dr. Christian Lambertsen for underwater warfare. Today, scuba typically usually refers to the in-line open-circuit equipment, developed by Emile Gagnan and Jacques-Yves Cousteau , in which compressed gas (usually air) is inhaled from a tank and then exhaled into the water. However, rebreathers (both semi-closed circuit and closed circuit) are also self-contained systems (as opposed to surface-supplied systems) and are therefore classified as scuba.

Although the SCUBA is an acronym for "self-contained underwater breathing apparatus", usage is mainly as a normal word "scuba", it has become acceptable to refer to scuba as " scuba equipment " or "scuba apparatus".

Water normally contains dissolved oxygen from which fish and other aquatic animals extract all their required oxygen as the water flows past their gills . Humans lack gills and do not otherwise have the capacity to breathe underwater unaided by external devices.

Early diving experimenters quickly discovered it is not enough simply to supply air in order to breathe comfortably underwater. As one descends, in addition to the normal atmospheric pressure, water exerts increasing pressure on the chest and lungs — approximately 1 bar or 14.7 psi for every 33 feet or 10 meters of depth — so the pressure of the inhaled breath must almost exactly counter the surrounding or ambient pressure in order to inflate the lungs.

By always providing the breathing gas at ambient pressure, modern demand valve regulators ensure the diver can inhale and exhale naturally and virtually effortlessly, regardless of depth.

Because the diver's nose and eyes are covered by a diving mask ; the diver cannot breathe in through the nose, except when wearing a full face diving mask . However, inhaling from a regulator's mouthpiece becomes second nature very quickly.

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