What is the role of a dive computer?

A dive computer is an essential tool for divers, primarily designed to track depth, time, and nitrogen absorption throughout a dive. Its primary function is to help divers manage their exposure to nitrogen, ensuring they do not exceed safe limits to avoid decompression sickness. This involves constantly monitoring the diver's depth and bottom time to calculate real-time nitrogen saturation levels in the body and providing information on safe ascent rates and no-decompression limits.

In addition to these core functions, dive computers often come equipped with features such as alarms for exceeding depth or time limits, as well as calculations for multilevel diving. This information enhances a diver's safety by providing critical data in an easy-to-read format, allowing them to make informed decisions during the dive.

While monitoring air supply, regulating body temperature, and assisting with navigation can be aspects of diving, these are not the primary functions of a dive computer. Therefore, the correct answer accurately reflects the critical purpose of the device in diver safety and planning.