Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site rti-sel.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!cbdkc1!desoto!packard!edsel!bentley!hoxna!houxm!mhuxr!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!mcnc!rti-sel!rcb From: rcb@rti-sel.UUCP Newsgroups: net.physics Subject: Re: A couple of old Physics puzzles Message-ID: <50@rti-sel.UUCP> Date: Tue, 25-Dec-84 21:19:25 EST Article-I.D.: rti-sel.50 Posted: Tue Dec 25 21:19:25 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 27-Dec-84 03:30:07 EST References: <327@bonnie.UUCP> <47@rti-sel.UUCP> <333@bonnie.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: Research Triangle Institute, NC Lines: 23 > >> > >> 1)Why are the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans at different > >> levels? > >> > > > > Who said they are at different levels. > > > The water levels at the two end of the Panama canal > sometimes differ by more than a foot! (Locks and all that) I was under the impression that the locks were used to raise the ship up to the level a lake that cuts through most of the entire width of the canal area. The ship was then lowered back to the level of the pacific. This was simpler than dredging the entire length of the existing lake. Example: | | | | |--|------------------------------------| | | | | | ----------------| | |--|----------------- Randy Buckland Research Triangle Institute ...!mcnc!rti-sel!rcb