Submarines can navigate on the surface and underwater, using buoyancy to control depth. They have ballast tanks and power plants for long-term sailing. Submarines are cramped and require support services. Periscopes and snorkels are used for visibility and oxygen intake.
A submarine is a type of watercraft designed to float on the surface as well as navigate below the surface of the ocean. Sizes range from very small submersibles designed for deep sea exploration to huge nuclear submarines maintained as part of a military fleet. All operate on the same basic principles, however, using the property of buoyancy to ascend and descend into the water. The first model was built in the 1600s, although it was extremely crude and bore little resemblance to its modern counterparts.
A submarine’s double hull design includes large spaces for ballast tanks. When the tanks are filled with air, the craft is much lighter than the water it displaces as it moves through the water, allowing it to float on the surface. When the air is vented so that water pours in, however, the submarine becomes heavier and begins to sink. Its exact depth can be controlled by taking in more water or forcing pressurized air into the ballast tanks.
A submarine’s power plant is designed to be highly efficient, so that the craft can sail for months at a time. Diesel variants use diesel fuel connected to battery systems to power themselves. A nuclear submarine has a small nuclear power plant. By using nuclear energy, the craft can remain submerged for a significant amount of time.
Inside a submarine, conditions tend to be very cramped. Scientific or military, it is full of equipment relevant to its use and every available surface is used to maximum capacity. Staffing can number in the hundreds on larger submarines, which also require extensive support services such as a medical bay, mess hall, and living quarters. The plant is also to be used to generate oxygen and keep the air in the submarine clean so that the interior is a healthy living environment.
Most people are familiar with the periscope, a device used to look above the water while a submarine is submerged. A periscope consists of a series of mirrors mounted inside a long tube. When extended, a sailor puts his or her eye on the viewer and is able to see what is happening above the water. This tool can be used to search for threats, check weather conditions, or make other quick general assessments. Some submarines also have a snorkel system for fresh oxygen intake.
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