Why do submarines sink and rise?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Ballast tanks fill or empty
Water pressure controls depth — Wrong. Water pressure doesn't control the submarine. The crew controls ballast tanks to change buoyancy.
Hull shape changes underwater — Wrong. Submarine hulls are rigid and don't change shape. Buoyancy is controlled by ballast tanks.
Ballast tanks fill or empty ✓ — Correct! Submarines have special tanks that fill with water to sink (heavier than surrounding water) or fill with air to rise (lighter). This changes buoyancy without changing the submarine's shape or size!
More Transportation questions
- What role do motorcycle wheel gyroscopes actually play in keeping a moving bike upright?
- Why does the front wheel of a leaned motorcycle often seem to find a useful steering angle without the rider holding it rigidly?
- Why can a tilted motorcycle tire help push the bike sideways through a curve instead of just rolling straight ahead?
- Why does riding the same motorcycle curve faster require a larger lean angle?
- Why does the bike-rider system need a lean angle when a motorcycle follows a steady road-speed curve?
- What actually happens just after a rider pushes the left grip forward to begin leaning a motorcycle left?