WHAT IS USED TO MEASURE A FATHOM
2006-09-19 15:20:25 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
I've been a SCUBA diver for 25 years and yes, they are all right.
2006-09-19 15:31:50 · answer #1 · answered by Cayman_tac 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is 1 fathom = 6 feet.
When Samuel Langhorne Clemens took a pen name, he chose the call of riverboat hands when shouting out a depth of two fathoms (apparently a safe depth for navigation): "Mark Twain!"
How is it measured? If you're a riverboat captain in the 1840's, you tie knots in a rope every six feet, attach a weight to the end, and drop it over the side. Sonar is the preferred method for taking soundings these days, although it can still be done with a cable.
2006-09-19 15:39:28 · answer #2 · answered by EXPO 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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What is measurement of a fathom??
WHAT IS USED TO MEASURE A FATHOM
2015-09-13 01:51:42 · answer #3 · answered by Ber 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
fathom unit of depth measurement in mining and seafaring; 1 fathom = 1.83 m/6 ft
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2006-09-19 15:25:08 · answer #4 · answered by cotterall&elaineadams 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes it is traditionally six feet.
what lead to this being the measurement : on ships, the fathom was the distance of both out stretched arms on a normal sailor measured from the longest finger tip to the other longest finger tip. believe it or not, its about six feet.
2006-09-19 20:42:56 · answer #5 · answered by centurion613 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
6 feet, or 2 yards, or 72 inches, or 1.8288 meters.
Its a nautical measurement taken with a sounding line.
2006-09-19 15:21:56 · answer #6 · answered by Favoured 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋