A buoyancy compensator (BC) is like a special jacket you wear when diving in the water. It helps you float, like a life jacket, but it also helps you control how deep or shallow you go in the water.
The BC has two main parts: the bladder and the straps. The bladder is like a big balloon that you can fill up with air from a tank, or let air out to sink down. The straps hold the BC to your body so it doesn't float away or fall off.
When you first get in the water, you'll fill up the BC with air so you can float on the surface without sinking. Then, when you're ready to dive down, you can let a little air out of the BC to start sinking. As you go deeper, you might need to let more air out to stay at the right depth.
If you start to ascend too quickly, the BC can also help you slow down. You can add air to the bladder to make yourself more buoyant and float back up to the surface more slowly.
Overall, the buoyancy compensator helps you stay safe and comfortable while you dive by keeping you at the right depth in the water.