i know this is a stupid question,but why are there locks on the canal? wouldnt it have been much easier to just connect the 2 oceans with no obstructions?????? if sea level is a constant,then i would think just a big hole in the ground connecting the 2 would suffice
2007-02-23 10:08:24 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
For its time (and arguably still even with today's technology) the Panama Canal was a massive feat of earth and rock moving. It would just have not been possible to move several orders of magnitude more earth and rocks to connect the two oceans at sea level and have an economically feasible project.
2007-02-23 11:12:19 · answer #1 · answered by Robert A 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the lake in the panama canal is higher than the two surrounding oceans, so the locks are used to put the ships in and then the water level is raised to get the ships higher up to the lake's level. also, the lake is freshwater and is used by the people of panama for drinking water, so they dont want it to mix with the salt water of the surrounding oceans.
2007-02-23 18:12:43 · answer #2 · answered by marcosmv 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The locks are used to compensate for elevation. With out the locks the canel would have to be a lot deaper. The other three reasons are, cost, time and money.
2007-02-23 19:20:12 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋