2006-09-19 05:54:00 · 12 answers · asked by Ian F 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Boats & Boating
If it gets too shallow, they don't. Which is why there are some places they don't go.
Why do they float at all, in any water?
Why Do Ships Float?
The Greek Mathematician and inventor Archimedes lived during the 3rd century BC. According to history he was in the bath one day when he discovered the principle of buoyancy which is the reason why huge Greek ships weighing thousands of pounds could float on water. He noticed that as he lowered himself into the bath, the water displaced by his body overflowed the sides and he realised that there was a relationship between his weight and the volume of water displaced. It is said that he ran naked into the street yelling "heurEka" which is where we get our word "eureka!" (I found it), Greek heurEka I have found, from heuriskein to find.
This led to: The Buoyancy Principle
Archimedes continued to do more experiments and came up with a buoyancy principle, that a ship will float when the weight of the water it displaces equals the weight of the ship and anything will float if it is shaped to displace its own weight of water before it reaches the point where it will submerge.
2006-09-19 06:01:01 · answer #1 · answered by oklatom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They float the same in shallow water as they do in deep water, Unless its a submarine the boat rides in the water at a constant level unless it has taken on more weight. Just like a regular boat, if it were to get into water too shallow it would run aground.
2006-09-19 13:02:42 · answer #2 · answered by Justin W 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They do not float in shallow water. They have almost a 40 foot draft. If they are n a shallow port they anchor out and have smaller boats transfer passengers. Ports in large cities are dreged to at least 45 feet at low tide.
2006-09-19 21:30:50 · answer #3 · answered by science teacher 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That question has been asked since the first iron-hulled vessel was designed. It's all about displacement. Ships float because they are mostly air. The steel is a very small percentage of its volume. Therefore, it is much lighter than the water it sits on.
2006-09-19 12:59:51 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
They don't, they get grounded.
If the water ain't deep enough to carry the displacement, no ships' captain in their right mind would go into the shallows!
2006-09-19 12:58:28 · answer #5 · answered by Moorglademover 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ships have ballest they pump in and out, depending on the weather and depth. in shallow water near porta the habor pilot steers the boat
2006-09-22 19:45:02 · answer #6 · answered by catchup 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they use the anchor in shallow water and hire local smaller boats to run as water taxi / ferry system
2006-09-21 07:21:16 · answer #7 · answered by Bushit 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the same way they float in deep water
2006-09-21 00:24:42 · answer #8 · answered by fed up with stupid questions 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they never go in shallows unless the skipper has got a death wish
2006-09-19 14:25:35 · answer #9 · answered by srracvuee 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they obey Archimedes's principle.
2006-09-19 13:56:19 · answer #10 · answered by mick 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋