What Is a Submarine? Key Parts, Uses & Underwater Missions Explained
How many of you want to be sailors when you grow up and ride huge ships around the world and across the oceans? But do you know that you can not only be the captain of ships above the water but also below the water? You would get to see the amazing life under the sea such as colourful fish, sharks, jellyfish, whales, and plants. Interesting, right? Well, ships that can take us under the ocean and seas are called submarines. Let’s read along and discover about this amazing ship called submarine and how it is used.
An Introduction to Submarine for Kids - Ship Under the Ocean
A Submarine
A submarine is a vessel or special kind of ship that has the ability to go underwater. It looks quite like a huge whale. These ships are mostly used by the military and scientists to travel deep under the water to protect our country during war or for research purposes. Submarines used by the military are large vessels which have the capacity to accommodate around 100 people as well as war weapons such as missiles and torpedoes. Contrarily, scientists and explorers prefer the smaller submarines to conduct their research studies underwater.
The power sources that help operate submarines are usually an engine, batteries, and nuclear power. It can also be a combination of these three. What are the two most important things that help a submarine work? One is the ballasts and the other is the sonar equipment technology. Let’s discuss what these are. Ballasts are these large tanks within a submarine which hold water. The movement of water in and out of them helps the submarine rise or sink. Deep seas and oceans are dark, so how do submarines find their way? This has been made possible by sonar equipment. Sonar emits a sound wave which when hits an object bounces and returns a signal to the submarine. This is how the military is able to locate enemy submarines in wartime.
A Brief History about Submarines
A Submarine Underwater
So how did submarines come to be? Read ahead to know about this amazing invention!
Cornelis Drebbel was the first to invent a submarine in the year 1620. It was a rowboat covered in leather and could achieve a depth of about 15 feet or 4.5 metres.
In 1766, David Bushnell invented a submarine that was used during the American Revolution.
1800 saw the birth of Nautilus, a submarine built by Robert Fulton that was used for attaching explosives to ships.
Diesel-electric submarines were used during the First World War and Second World War by the militaries.
The first nuclear-powered submarine, named USS Nautilus, was introduced in 1954 by the U. S. Navy.
How Does a Submarine Surface and Submerge?
You must be wondering how does such a large whale-like structure sink, stay, and come up from the sea or ocean. Here’s how it works!
As mentioned before, submarines have ballasts or large tanks that hold water. When the submarine is on the surface, the ballasts carry air but when it needs to sink into the sea, the tank’s valves are opened and the air escapes. Seawater occupies its place and fills the tanks. This makes the submarine heavy and enables it to sink.
On the other hand, when the submarine needs to reach the surface, the water in the ballast tanks is replaced by high-pressure air. This makes the submarine lighter and facilitates its climbing. Another way is to angle its stem, bow, and superstructure.
When it arrives on the surface, the crew can use low-pressure air to forcefully drain the seawater out of the ballast tanks against gravity.
Fun Facts on Submarines for Kids!
Kids Having Fun in a Submarine
Here’s an interesting list of some cool but fascinating facts about submarines.
Submarines can reach thousands of metres below the surface of the sea or ocean.
Submarines have the ability to stay underwater for several months.
A novel named Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by French writer Jules Verne tells the story of the submarine Nautilus.
Submarines use a periscope to view what is happening above the water.
Your favourite sub sandwich or submarine sandwich is named so because of its resemblance to the shape of a submarine.
A Sub Sandwich
Conclusion
The submarine has been one of our brilliant discoveries, which has helped serve humans in various ways. It has opened up the undiscovered deep-sea world to us and also helped our navy protect us. You can watch the movie The Ghazi Attack to see how submarines are used during wars. Also, in the movie Godzilla (1998), submarines were used by the U.S. Navy in an attempt to kill Godzilla.
FAQs on Submarine for Kids: Amazing Facts, How They Work & Their Adventures
1. What is a submarine and what does it do?
A submarine is a special type of boat that can travel completely underwater. Its main purpose is to explore the deep ocean where it's hard to reach. They are used for many important jobs, such as scientific research to discover new sea creatures, exploring shipwrecks, and for military defence to keep a country safe.
2. How does a submarine sink and float on purpose?
A submarine uses special tanks called ballast tanks to control whether it sinks or floats. To dive underwater, it opens valves to let seawater fill these tanks, making the submarine heavier. To rise to the surface, it uses powerful pumps to push the water out and replace it with air, which makes it lighter and causes it to float up.
3. What are the main parts of a submarine for kids?
A submarine has several key parts that help it navigate the deep sea. Some of the most important ones include:
- The Hull: This is the strong, watertight outer body of the submarine that protects it from the immense pressure of the deep ocean.
- The Periscope: A long, retractable tube with mirrors and lenses that allows the crew to see what is happening on the surface of the water without the submarine having to come up.
- The Propeller: A large fan-like device at the back that spins to push the submarine through the water.
- Rudders and Hydroplanes: These are like wings and a tail that steer the submarine left, right, up, or down.
4. How can a submarine “see” things in the complete darkness of the deep ocean?
Since sunlight doesn't reach the deep ocean, submarines use a technology called SONAR (Sound Navigation and Ranging). It works by sending out a 'ping' of sound. This sound wave travels through the water and bounces back when it hits an object, like a rock, another ship, or a whale. The submarine's computer listens to the returning echo to create a map of its surroundings.
5. Are submarines just for fighting, or do they have other fun jobs?
While many submarines are used by navies for defence, many others have exciting peaceful jobs. Scientists use special research submarines to study deep-sea volcanoes and unique animals that live in darkness. There are also tourist submarines in some parts of the world that take people on incredible underwater tours to see coral reefs and colourful fish.
6. Why are most submarines painted in dark colours like black or grey?
Submarines are painted in dark colours for camouflage. The deep ocean is very dark, so a black or dark grey submarine can easily blend in with its surroundings. This makes it very difficult for other ships or aircraft to spot it, which is especially important for military submarines that need to stay hidden.
7. What is it like to live inside a submarine for a long time?
Living inside a submarine is an adventure, but it requires a lot of teamwork. The crew, called submariners, live and work in a compact space for weeks or even months. They have everything they need onboard, including beds, a kitchen, and systems that create their own breathable air and fresh water from the sea. They work in shifts to keep the submarine running 24/7.
8. Can kids ride in a real submarine?
Yes, absolutely! While military submarines are off-limits, there are special tourist submarines designed for underwater sightseeing. These submarines have large, strong windows that allow you and your family to safely explore the amazing world beneath the waves, giving you a front-row seat to see marine life like fish, turtles, and beautiful coral reefs.
