Please direct all general questions about submarines, water pressure deep in the ocean, and similar questions to this sticky. Within this sticky, top-level questions (direct “replies” to me) should be questions, rather than explanations. The rules about off-topic discussion will be **somewhat** relaxed. Please keep in mind that all other rules – especially Rule 1: Be Civil – are still in effect.
Please also note: this is **not** a place to ask specific questions about the [recent submersible accident](https://www.npr.org/2023/06/22/1183661199/sub-titan-titanic-missing-search). The rule against recent or current events is still in effect, and is for general subjects, not specific instances with straightforward answers. General questions that reference the sub, such as “Why would a submarine implode like the one that just did that?” are fine; specific questions like, “What failed on this sub that made it implode?” are not.
In: 2
ELI5: rapid ascent/surfacing. Structures or vehicles are rated for given loads, and dynamic loads can exceed ratings quite easily. What about unloading of forces/pressure? If I were in a submarine, deep under water (say, 4km), and I popped the ballast tanks and triggered a rapid ascent to the surface, can the rapid **reduction** in pressure cause damage?
I know that for divers, rapid ascent can be lethal, but that’s entirely different to what we’re talking about (reduction in pressure causing spontaneous phase change in fluids in the body to gas). But my question is, is there a similar effect for submarines in terms of forces as a result of a sudden and massive decrease in pressure?
ELI5: is the submarine really the size of a coke can like everyone says? Where does it all go? I still can’t comprehend how it just implodes but has an explosion? And the heat aspect? Like how it’s so fast they felt nothing?
ELI5: Can someone explain how pressure works in the ocean? Like people say, it’s because of the weight of the water, but im not getting it.
For example, if I was teleported into deep sea, I’d be crushed instantly, but how? Sure, the water is sitting above you, but it’s also sitting on itself. Not to mention, water would be all around you. How does it exert pressure from all sides when gravity is only pushing from above???
While it’s not ELI5, Smarter Everyday on YouTube has a series about being on a nuclear submarine and just about everything and how it works. It’s very informative and entertaining.
Is it likely the carbon fiber started to delaminate slowly? Could they see the hull was slowly failing, though at an accelerating rate?
If the hull did start to delaminate, would there be high velocity ribbons of carbon fiber lashing about the compartment just before the catastrophic failure?
I’m thinking of how deadly splinters were on wooden ships, and how deadly spalling can be to tank crews. Can carbon fiber present the same sort of hazard?
Anyone else ever cut themselves on carbon fiber? I had no clue how sharp that stuff can be.
Question, if communication is difficult for submarines under water, how submarines with nuclear weapons get the signal for fire their “shit” if nuclear war is to happen?
So is the implosion kind of like say in a pool or bathtub, you have it filled and if water it’s at the proper level nothing is displaced.
But then you put something in and depending on the mass water would be displaced/lost to make room and the sub just went too deep and sploded by the weight of the ocean?
Latest Answers