Why is the concentration of helium increased in some gas mixtures that divers breath in order to reduce the partial pressure of oxygen?

Because of oxygen toxicity.

Explanation:

Oxygen toxicity.

Oxygen has been known to cause central nervous system (CNS) toxicity when the pressure gets higher. This toxicity can cause convulsions, and this can cause the diver to drown.

The current standard maximum safe oxygen working pressure is 1.4 atm ppO2. This is equal to 56.5m/185′ when breathing air (21% O2 / 79% N). Below that depth the fraction of oxygen in a breathing gas must be reduced, and in order to maintain this maximum pressure of 1.4 ppO2, Helium must be added.

answer : one can design an experiment using a liquid and an additive that can be added to the liquid and observe the chemical changes in the reaction species.

one would need a beaker which is filled with a known amount of the liquid in which thermometer is placed to measure the temperature changes; after addition of the additive to the liquid solution one can note down the temperature change and find whether the reaction is endothermic or exothermic in nature. by subtracting the initial temperature value with the final temperature one can find the temperature changes.

various combinations of liquid and additive can be used. liquid in this case can be a known quantity of water and additives can be epsom salt or without epsom salt the experiment can be conducted to notice the changes. water and ice, hydrogen peroxide and dry yeast, vinegar and baking soda,etc.