Sinking of the Titanic and the Archimedes Principle

Introduction

• Conversation about playing music on a sinking ship (Titanic).
• April 15th, 1912, at 12:27 A.M.
  • Captain of the Titanic commands the radio operator, Jack Phillips, to send out distress signals.
  • 6 attempts to contact nearby ships failed.
  • The distress signal changed to SOS.

Key Events Leading to Disaster

• SS Californian
  • Closest ship but radio operator slept through the distress calls.
  • Navigation laws changed due to this incident.

Historical Background

• Archimedes' Principle (3rd century BC)
  • How Archimedes discovered the principle of fluid displacement.
  • Applied to determine the purity of King Hiero II's crown.
  • Principle states that an object submerged in a fluid displaces a volume of fluid equal to the volume of the object.
  • This principle is essential for the concept of buoyancy.

Constructing the Titanic

• March 31st, 1912: Star Line announces the completion of the Titanic.
• April 10th, 1912: Titanic sets sail on its first voyage.
• Specifications
  • Length: 269 meters
  • Width: 28 meters
  • Height: 53 meters
  • Could float if 4 compartments were damaged; it sank if 5 compartments flooded.

Incident with the Olympic

• Olympic ship accident (1911) promoted unsinkable design.
• Captain Edward Smith of the Olympic transferred to Titanic.

Events on the Night of the Sinking

• Iceberg Warning

  • SS Californian warned Titanic about icebergs ahead.
  • Warnings were ignored by Titanic's radio operator.
  • SS Californian's operator turned off the radio at 11:30 PM.

• Collision with Iceberg: 11:40 PM

  • Titanic struck an iceberg, flooding 5 compartments.
  • Ship couldn't withstand flooding in more than 4 compartments.

• Rescue Efforts

  • Titanic radio operator sent distress signals at 12:27 AM.
  • Most ships responded except SS Californian.
  • Carpathia arrives at 3:30 AM: Save 705; 1,500 lives lost due to Californian's negligence.

Lifeboat Crisis

• Titanic had only 20 lifeboats for 2,200 passengers.
• Pre-sinking lifeboat regulations were inadequate, leading to changes post-Titanic disaster.
  • New laws required enough lifeboats for 125% of passengers.
  • Mandatory crew training and 24/7 radio operations.

Design Flaws and Errors

• Compartment design had flaws, contributing to sinking.
• Lack of binoculars hindered accurate iceberg detection.
  • Observers saw it too late, despite early warnings.
• Officer Murdock's decision: Shut down engines, turn left – failed to prevent collision.
• Theory suggests a head-on collision might have been less catastrophic.

Aftermath: Investigations and Consequences

• Titanic's sinking prompted changes in maritime safety laws.
  • Enhanced ship compartment design.
  • Lifeboat regulations.
  • Continuous radio communication.
  • International Ice Patrol to monitor icebergs.

Titanic's Legacy

• Symbol of human error and overconfidence.
• Sinking due to design flaws, ignored warnings, and poor emergency preparedness.
• Conspiracy theories: J.P. Morgan and Pharaonic curse – unfounded.

Lessons Learned

• Imperfection is part of human progress.
• Acknowledge flaws to prevent disasters.
• Titanic's failure led to significant advancements in maritime safety.