What is hypoxia?

Hypoxia refers specifically to a medical condition where there is a deficiency of oxygen in the tissues of the body. This can occur for a variety of reasons, including high altitudes where the air pressure is lower, resulting in less available oxygen. In aviation, understanding hypoxia is crucial, as pilots can experience this condition when flying at higher elevations without the necessary supplemental oxygen. Symptoms of hypoxia can include dizziness, impaired judgment, and euphoria, which is why it is vital for pilots to recognize and manage this condition to ensure their safety and that of their passengers.

The other options do not accurately represent what hypoxia is: the first choice relates to collision avoidance techniques in aviation, the third refers to physical disturbances in the atmosphere that affect flight, and the last concerns a pilot's mental state, which is different from a physiological condition like hypoxia.