Among the following adventure sports, which is considered relatively safer when proper training and equipment are used?

Introduction / Context:
Adventure sports attract people who enjoy excitement and challenge, but they also come with varying levels of risk. Some activities involve controlled environments and strict safety procedures, making them relatively safer when compared with other extreme sports, provided that proper training and equipment are used. This question asks you to compare three specific adventure activities and identify which one is regarded as relatively safer than the others under standard, regulated conditions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The activities listed are free diving, skydiving, and cave diving.
• We are asked to find the relatively safe option among them.
• We assume that participants use correct equipment and follow professional training and safety rules.
• The option none of the above suggests that all might be similarly high risk.

Concept / Approach:
The key concept is understanding relative risk among high adventure sports. Free diving involves diving underwater on a single breath without breathing apparatus, often to significant depths, which can be highly risky due to blackout, pressure effects, and lack of immediate surface access. Cave diving adds the complexity of overhead environments, restricted passages, and often limited visibility, making it one of the most dangerous forms of diving. Skydiving, while obviously not risk free, is a highly regulated sport where modern parachutes, backup systems, and strict training procedures have significantly reduced accident rates. When proper safety measures are followed, skydiving is often regarded as relatively safer than extreme underwater diving in caves or deep free diving.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider free diving. It requires going underwater without breathing gear, relying solely on breath holding and safe ascent, which can be very risky if anything goes wrong. Step 2: Consider cave diving. It combines the dangers of diving with complex overhead environments where direct access to the surface is blocked, making rescue and escape difficult. Step 3: Consider skydiving. It involves jumping from an aircraft with a main parachute and a reserve parachute, guided by strict training and automated safety devices that can deploy a parachute if needed. Step 4: Compare typical safety systems. Under regulated operators, skydiving has multiple layers of safety, while free diving and cave diving depend heavily on personal discipline, breath control, and environmental conditions. Step 5: Conclude that, although all three have risks, skydiving is generally considered relatively safer when proper training and equipment are used.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, think about how these sports are described in safety discussions. Cave diving is frequently cited as one of the most dangerous recreational activities due to the combination of depth, overhead environment, and potential for disorientation. Free diving is known for risks like shallow water blackout and demands high physical control. Skydiving, in contrast, is often compared statistically with other forms of adventure sports and, because of regulated drop zones and backup systems, has a risk profile that is relatively lower than extreme underwater diving. Therefore, among the listed options, skydiving stands out as relatively safer when done with certified instructors and proper gear.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Free diving: Involves prolonged breath holding and depth without breathing apparatus, increasing risk of blackout and drowning, so it is not relatively safer than skydiving in controlled conditions.
Cave diving: Combines the dangers of scuba or free diving with overhead environments, making it highly hazardous and not a relatively safe choice among the three.
None of the above: This would be correct only if all three had similar high risk even under proper safety procedures, but in practice, skydiving under regulation is considered relatively safer than free diving or cave diving.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to misinterpret relatively safe as completely safe. All adventure sports carry risk, but the question is about comparison, not absolute safety. Another mistake is to think that any activity involving heights must be more dangerous than those in water, without considering safety technology and rescue options. To avoid these errors, focus on the structure of risk management in each sport: presence of backup systems, ease of rescue, and environmental hazards. Evaluating these factors leads to the conclusion that skydiving, when done properly, is relatively safer among the options given.

Final Answer:
Among the listed adventure sports, skydiving is considered relatively safer when proper training and equipment are used, so option B is correct.