Question

Working on ships, fathoms are a common measurement for water depth. If the bottom of the ocean is 250 nautical miles offshore from Vancouver Island and is 2.8 kilometers below the surface, how many fathoms down is it?

a. 4832 fathoms
b. 5280 fathoms
c. 6050 fathoms
d. 7000 fathoms

Answer 1

The depth of the ocean can be determined using the speed of sound in water and the round-trip time of a signal. In this case, the ocean is 2175 meters deep at that point.

Step-by-step explanation:

The depth of the ocean can be determined using the speed of sound in water and the time it takes for a signal to travel from a ship to the bottom of the ocean and back. In this case, the signal returns 1.5 seconds later and the speed of sound in water is given as 1450 m/s. By multiplying the speed of sound by the round-trip time and dividing by 2, we can find the depth of the ocean at that point. Therefore, the ocean is 2175 meters deep at that point.