Ocean floor
- 2. Sonar Part 1
- 3. Sonar Sonar- Stands for so und na vigation and r anging Sonar was first developed by British naval scientists in 1921. Later it was used in times of warfare. More commonly sonar is used to measure the distance from the oceans surface to the bottom. Sonar has also been used on land. Pulses sent through soil can identify different layers of soil and rock as well as locate natural gas and oil!
- 4. How does it work? A sonar device emits sound waves into the ocean from the surface. When the impulses strike the bottom they return to the ship carrying the sonar device in the form of an echo. It then computes the depth of the ocean at that point. The longer it takes for the echo to return the deeper the ocean floor is!
- 5. Do the Math! Scientists know that sound waves travel through the water at 1,530m/s. If it takes an impulse 6.60s to travel from the ship to the ocean floor and back again, how deep is that part of the ocean?
- 6. Answer 1,530 m/s X6.60 s 10,098 m 10,098 m 2 = 5,049 m
- 7. Mapping Sonar has allowed scientists to accurately map the ocean floor. As a result many interesting discoveries have been made. Including abysses 10,600 m deep (6.3 miles), and mountains higher than Mt Everest the tallest mountain on land at 8,848m (29,198 ft).