Submarine facts for kids
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A submarine (often called a sub) is a special kind of vessel that can travel completely underwater. Most big submarines are war vessels used by navies around the world. Smaller submarines, often called "submersibles," are used for scientific research or for business activities. These smaller subs usually cannot travel very far or stay underwater for a long time without returning to a base. Some wealthy people even own submersibles to explore the ocean and observe fish. Interestingly, a submarine is always referred to as a boat, not a ship.
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How Submarines Have Changed Over Time
In the past, submarines were often powered by hand. This was because engines had not yet been invented. Early submarines were almost always designed for war. They tried to sink enemy ships using simple methods. These included drilling holes into wooden ships or trying to blow them up. Sometimes, these attempts also destroyed the submarine itself!
Submarines in World Wars
During the First World War and Second World War, people found ways to build much better submarines. Many of these improved submarines were made by Germany. These submarines used a diesel-electric system. A diesel engine would power a generator. This generator would charge many batteries while the submarine was on the surface of the water. This stored power then allowed the submarine to travel underwater. These submarines were very dangerous for enemies. They were hard to spot when submerged, but they were easier to attack when they came to the surface to recharge their batteries.
The First Battle of the Atlantic was a major battle where submarines played a huge role. In this battle, and in later wars, submarines mainly worked to create blockades and sink enemy warships. They often attacked freighters at night, using their guns and then quickly hiding underwater. Sometimes, they used torpedoes, especially against large ships and warships.
After World War II, better sonar technology helped enemies find and destroy submarines more easily. Newer submarines were designed to be smoother and did not have artillery guns on the outside. This was because water dragging against the guns made noise underwater and slowed the submarines down.
Modern Submarines Today
Most large military submarines today are powered by nuclear reactors. These submarines often have a system that can create air from seawater. These two features allow them to stay underwater for very long periods, sometimes for months! Their most important jobs are attacking other ships or launching powerful missiles. These missiles can include cruise missiles or even nuclear missiles.
Types of Modern Submarines
There are two main types of modern military submarines:
- Attack submarines are smaller and faster. They are designed to attack other submarines and surface ships. They use a special type of underwater bomb called a torpedo.
- Missile submarines are larger and slower. Their main purpose is to launch missiles at targets far away on land. Missile submarines are usually big enough to carry special forces, called commandos, and launch them safely from their torpedo tubes.
Cool Facts About Submarines
- The word submarine comes from two Latin words: sub, meaning "under or below," and marines, meaning "related to the sea."
- Some of the earliest records, from 415 BC, show that submarines were used by the military during the Siege of Syracuse.
- When submarines were first invented, they could only hold one or two people. Today, some submarines can carry over 100 people!
- A French inventor named Edme Hippolyte Marie-Davy created the periscope for naval use in 1854.
- Even though submarines are called boats, their official title in the US Navy is United States Ship (USS), just like the USS Alabama or the USS Nautilus.
- The very first nuclear-powered submarine was the USS Nautilus.
- Submarines use sonar to navigate and find their way underwater. Sonar sends out sound waves and listens for them to bounce back.
- Ballast tanks are huge compartments inside a submarine that can fill up with water. As the submarine takes on more water, it becomes heavier and sinks. When the crew wants the sub to rise, they push the water out of the ballast tanks, making the submarine lighter.
- Some submarines can stay underwater for many months without needing to surface.
- When Navy members learn how to escape a submarine in an emergency, they must yell HO, HO, HO as they rise to the surface. This helps them breathe out and avoid lung damage from the changing pressure.
Images for kids
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Drebbel, often considered the first working submarine
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1806 illustration by Robert Fulton showing a "plunging boat"
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The French submarine Plongeur
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USS Plunger, launched in 1902
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German UC-1-class World War I submarine. The wires running up from the bow to the conning tower are the Jumping wires
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Retractable 7.5 cm submarine gun produced by the Krupp company around 1900
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The Mésoscaphe Auguste Piccard (model pictured), built by Jacques Piccard for the 1964 Swiss national exhibition, was the first tourism submarine in history. It carried about 33,000 tourists through Lake Geneva in 1964–65.
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Interior of the tourist submarine Atlantis while submerged
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Tourist submarine Atlantis on the surface
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Type XXI U-Boat, late WWII, with pressure hull almost fully enclosed inside the light hull
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In 1960, Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh were the first people to explore the deepest part of the world's ocean, in the Bathyscaphe Trieste designed by Auguste Piccard.
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German Type XXI submarine
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The forward torpedo tubes in HMS Ocelot
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The interior of a British E-class submarine. An officer supervises submerging operations, c. 1914–1918.
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See also
In Spanish: Submarino para niños
