HOW A SUBMARINE WORKS
Submarines rank among the most complicated warships ever put to sea, and are carefully designed to maximize performance and ensure safety. Submarines must be able to surface and dive quickly, maneuver safely underwater for months at a time, receive and transmit communications, operate quietly to avoid detection, and provide a habitable space for the crew. Regardless of the type of submarine, they accomplish these tasks in similar fashion.
Nuclear submarines consume a relatively small amount of energy and make very little noise. Because they carry their energy source with them, nuclear submarines are able to travel at least 640,000 km (400,000 mi) without refueling. The nuclear reactor provides energy in the form of heat, which is converted to electricity by the generators in the engine compartment. A propeller is used to send the submarine through the water, whereas rudders (horizontal rudders are also called diving planes) guide the submarine through maneuvers. The periscope and other monitors mounted on the sail give the crew information about the surface while the submarine stays safely beneath. A modern submarine is capable of carrying several missiles, torpedos, or nuclear warheads that may be fired from beneath the water to strike targets sometimes thousands of miles away (launching tubes not shown here).
HOW A SUBMARINE WORKS
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