Submarines how do they work

On the surface, they look like any other submarine. The key difference lies in the way they are powered. Nuclear reactors inside power stations have been powering homes and industry across the world for 70 years.

Similarly, each nuclear submarine draws power from its own miniature onboard nuclear reactor. At the heart of every atom is an atomic nucleus, made of protons and neutrons.

The number of protons defines what chemical element that atom belongs to; nuclei with the same number of protons but varying numbers of neutrons are called isotopes of that element. Some very heavy nuclei are highly susceptible to a process known as nuclear fission, whereby they split into two lighter nuclei with a total mass less than the original nucleus.

The remainder is converted to energy. Reactors in a nuclear-powered submarine are typically fuelled with uranium. Natural uranium mined from the ground consists mainly of an isotope called uranium, mixed with small amounts 0. The degree of fuel enrichment is a crucial factor in maintaining a chain reaction that gives a consistent, safe level of energy output. Inside the reactor, uranium is bombarded with neutrons, causing some of the nuclei to undergo nuclear fission. The sub doesn't even have a periscope.

Rather it uses a photonics mast -- a piece of electronic wizardry that includes high-definition and infrared video -- to monitor the battlespace. The information is displayed on large screens in the command center, with a joystick controlling the whole show. The UK's four Astute-class attack subs are even faster than the US subs, capable of more than 35 mph 56 kph submerged, and like the US carry the Tomahawk cruise missile.

It has a longer range than its predecessors well in excess of 1, miles , can be directed at a new target in mid-flight, and can also beam back images of the battlefield to its mother submarine," the Royal Navy's website says.

That's the kind of firepower and endurance Australia wants as it looks to protect its northern waters from any naval threats and project its naval power into the South China Sea, where it, along with the United States, looks to blunt Chinese influence and protect freedom of navigation.

Ballistic missile submarines. Their mission, essentially, is to stay at sea for months at a time, the vast majority of it submerged, and be prepared to launch a retaliatory nuclear strike should an adversary launch one of their own against the UK or US.

The ballistic-missile submarine USS Pennsylvania returns home to its Washington state homeport following a strategic deterrence patrol in Ballistic missile subs are quiet beneath the waves and extremely hard to detect. They are the linchpin of deterrence, assuring that an adversary of the US or UK would pay a horrific price for a first-strike nuclear attack. Each of the US ballistic missile subs can carry 20 Trident missiles 16 for the UK subs with as many as eight warheads three for the UK subs per missile.

They are able to be shot over a range of 4, miles 7, kilometers. The nuclear warheads have blast yields between kilotons and kilotons. The US has 14 ballistic missiles subs, while Britain has four.

These are not the submarines Australia is signing on for. When will Australia put subs to sea? It takes a long time -- possibly decades -- to develop a nuclear-powered submarine and get it deployed. Holland the sub was called the Holland class and the navy. The sub was armed with two torpedo tubes with whitehead torpedoes.

The Holland class was never used in anger. During WW1, submarines were used, first by the Germans, to sink ships using the element of surprise. Great question, ms. The oldest submarine dates back to ! We encourage you to keep researching to learn more! Thanks for asking, sebastian! You may use Wonderopolis as the author and since we do not list the publish date, you can use the date you accessed the article for information. If that was today, then use today's date for your citation.

Many times they are released off a large ship. However, we encourage you to keep researching this question to learn more. We would love to hear about what you find out. Great question, William! We encourage you to keep researching about submarines at your library and online. There is a lot of history to learn about, too! It would be interesting to take a ride on a submarine. Maybe one day! Welcome, dasean campbell!

Submarines are sometimes used in war situations. You could do more research on submarines at your library. We are so glad that you found this article helpful, Charlie! You could check for a book at your local library. We agree, Nathan! We would like to go on one with windows. That looks pretty cool! Great Question, Raymond!

The Navy does operate a lot of submarines. Also, submarines are used a lot for tourism purposes. Did you know that you could ride in a submarine? Cool, huh? We agree, Ashiyah! Going down deep under water in a submarine can be very scary. We are glad that we now know the science behind it all. That makes us feel better about giving it a try. We agree, Michael! It looks scary to us, too! The first people to ride in a submarine must have been brave!

Great question, Reico! Thanks to the Internet, we can travel and have lots of experiences! We can even take a trip on a submarine! We are glad that you joined us today! We hope you enjoyed your experience! That's a great question, Xavier! This Wonder may help to explain air pressure.

Now, just think about the pressure that water can put on an object. That's a great question, Asia! We think it depends on where the submarine is located and the time of day it is. Some water looks bluer and can reflect the Sun's light better.

Great question, Maddie! Newsreels were popular at the beginning of the 20th Century, when people didn't have computers or TVs. People would go to public places like theaters to find out what was happening in the world.

These film reels with the news on them were known as newsreels. Be sure to submit your questions under the "What Are You Wondering" section, so that your friends can Vote for your Wonder! Hello, Ms. It sounds like you all are ready for an adventure into the deep blue sea! Did you know that the actual information for how deep a submarine can go is classified by the Navy.

That means they don't want to public to know just how deep their submarines can go. However, we know it has to be more that feet. Great questions! We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature. Thanks for your patience. Drag a word to its definition. You have answered 0 of 3 questions correctly and your score is:. Want to add a little wonder to your website? Help spread the wonder of families learning together. We sent you SMS, for complete subscription please reply.

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