Final answer:
Sonar technology uses the reflection of sound waves to measure the depth of the ocean. A transducer emits a sound wave that bounces off the sea floor, and the time for its round trip is used to calculate depth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The technology that determines the depth of water using the generation of sonic pulses is called sonar, an acronym for Sound Navigation And Ranging. In this process, a transducer on a ship sends out a sound wave, which travels through the water, reflects off the seabed, and returns to the ship. The time it takes for this echo to return is measured. With the known speed of sound in sea water (~1450 m/s), the depth of the ocean can be calculated by multiplying the speed of sound by half the time of the round trip of the sound wave (since the sound has to travel to the seabed and back up). This method is not only used by ships but also by marine animals such as dolphins, and in submarines to detect objects and measure distances underwater.