Free Process Essays - How Boats Work

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How Boats Work

As most people probably know a propeller is what drives a motorboat

through the water. However, the water gives off quite a bit of resistance. If

you want to travel at greater velocities you have to speed up the boat to push

against the water and to move the hull higher. The force of the water against

the hull is called friction. This slows the boat down. If a boat hull is designed

well the water will flow around more easily. The sail of a modern sailing

boat or yacht catches the wind and pushes the boat forward. The sail of a

boat is very similar to the wing of an airplane or even a bird's wing. The

same principles that govern those structures happen - a plane's wing lifts the

plane and a boat's sail lifts and pushes it forward. Imagine the sail of a boat

cutting into the air. As the sail cuts through the air some of the air goes

around the curved side and some air goes across the shorter (back side). The

air on one side makes the sailboat lean over and the air on the other side

pushes the boat sideways. Another question now arises what makes the boat

go forward? Well the hull is weighed down by a keel; this huge weight

counters the wind push and makes the boat go forward.

Now when discussing boats there are many types, another type of interest

would be a jet boat. If it was possible to see through the hull of a jet boat

and into the jet unit which propels the boat to high velocities we would see

amazing things. The water flows in a given direction. The spinning turbine

blades cause water to be sucked up through the intake under low

pressure. Once inside the turbine chamber the water gains velocity and is

powered out of the back of the turbine under high pressure by the

specifically designed turbine blades. The opposing force of this powerful jet

blast powers the boat forward.

Another principal of boats is how they float. Floating was first recorded by

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