Slide 1 Titanic Science by Cathy Akers-Jordan Titanic Science by Cathy Akers-Jordan Super Science Friday University of Michigan-Flint May 15, 2009.

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Titanic ScienceTitanic Sciencebyby

Cathy Akers-JordanCathy Akers-Jordan

Super Science FridayUniversity of Michigan-Flint

May 15, 2009

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Titanic FactsTitanic Facts

• Titanic was an ocean linerTitanic was an ocean liner

• Like a cruise ship but also carried mail Like a cruise ship but also carried mail and cargoand cargo

• How people crossed the ocean before How people crossed the ocean before airplanesairplanes

• Carried passengers traveling for Carried passengers traveling for vacation, business, and immigrants vacation, business, and immigrants coming to Americacoming to America

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Titanic FactsTitanic Facts

• Largest man-made object of its timeLargest man-made object of its time

• Designed to be “practically unsinkable”Designed to be “practically unsinkable”

• People believed it really was unsinkablePeople believed it really was unsinkable

• Carried 2,200* people on its only Carried 2,200* people on its only voyagevoyage

• Over 1,500 people died when it sank Over 1,500 people died when it sank April 15, 1912April 15, 1912

• Sinking was a world-wide catastropheSinking was a world-wide catastrophe

* All passenger numbers are approximate

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What Did Titanic Look Like?What Did Titanic Look Like?

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Painting by Ken MarschallPainting by Ken Marschall

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How Big Was Titanic?How Big Was Titanic?

• Length: 882 feet Length: 882 feet – Almost three football fields!Almost three football fields!

• Height: 110 feet Height: 110 feet – About as tall as an 11 story buildingAbout as tall as an 11 story building

• Width: 96 feetWidth: 96 feet– As wide as a four-lane highwayAs wide as a four-lane highway

• Weight: 46,000 tonsWeight: 46,000 tons– More than 23,000 adult elephants!More than 23,000 adult elephants!

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Designed to be UnsinkableDesigned to be Unsinkable

• 16 watertight compartments16 watertight compartments

Heavy lines show watertight “walls” that form watertight compartments

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Why Watertight Why Watertight Compartments WorkCompartments Work

• If there is an accident only one If there is an accident only one compartment floods, not the entire compartment floods, not the entire shipship

• Most common kind of accident floods Most common kind of accident floods 1 or 2 compartments1 or 2 compartments

• Titanic was designed to float with Titanic was designed to float with any 4 compartments floodedany 4 compartments flooded

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Titanic CarriedTitanic Carried

• 2,200 people and 12 dogs2,200 people and 12 dogs

• Food and beverages to feed them for a Food and beverages to feed them for a week (including 300 gallons of ice cream!)week (including 300 gallons of ice cream!)

• Cargo for New York stores (including wine, Cargo for New York stores (including wine, cheese, and books)cheese, and books)

• Passenger cargo (including a car)Passenger cargo (including a car)

• Over 3,000 bags of mail and 800 parcel Over 3,000 bags of mail and 800 parcel post packagespost packages

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Passenger LuxuriesPassenger Luxuries

• Indoor toilets, Indoor toilets, showers, bath showers, bath tubstubs

• 50 telephones50 telephones

• 4 elevators4 elevators

• Heated indoor Heated indoor swimming poolswimming pool

• 2 libraries2 libraries

• 4 restaurants4 restaurants

• 2 barber shops2 barber shops

• GymnasiumGymnasium

• Squash courtSquash court

• Darkroom Darkroom

Titanic was build of the finest materials available. It would cost about $400 million to build it today.

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11stst Class Passengers Class Passengers

• Very rich and famous peopleVery rich and famous people

• Traveling for vacation or businessTraveling for vacation or business

• Today = very rich, movie stars, famous Today = very rich, movie stars, famous athletesathletes

• Titanic carried 324 1st class passengersTitanic carried 324 1st class passengers– 201 survived201 survived

• 12 dogs traveled in 112 dogs traveled in 1stst class class– 3 survived3 survived

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22ndnd Class Passengers Class Passengers

• Middle class people on vacationMiddle class people on vacation

• Today = people like us!Today = people like us!

• Titanic carried 277 2nd class Titanic carried 277 2nd class passengerspassengers– 118 survived118 survived

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33rdrd Class Passengers Class Passengers

• Mostly immigrants moving to Mostly immigrants moving to AmericaAmerica

• Today = there is no third classToday = there is no third class

• Titanic carried 708 3rd class Titanic carried 708 3rd class passengerspassengers– 181 survived 181 survived

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What About the Crew?What About the Crew?

• 885 crew members885 crew members– 212 survived212 survived

• 5 postmen5 postmen– none survivednone survived

• 8 musicians8 musicians– none survivednone survived

• 2 radio operators2 radio operators– 1 survived1 survived

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Where Did These People Where Did These People Live?Live?

• ArgentinaArgentina

• ArmeniaArmenia

• AustraliaAustralia

• AustriaAustria

• BelgiumBelgium

• BosniaBosnia

• BulgariaBulgaria

• CanadaCanada

• ChinaChina

• CroatiaCroatia

• CubaCuba

• DenmarkDenmark

• EgyptEgypt

• EnglandEngland

• FinlandFinland

• FranceFrance

• GermanyGermany

• GreeceGreece

• Hong KongHong Kong

• IndiaIndia

• IrelandIreland

• ItalyItaly

• JapanJapan

• LebanonLebanon

• LithuaniaLithuania

• MexicoMexico

• NetherlandNetherlandss

• NorwayNorway

• PeruPeru

• PolandPoland

• PortugalPortugal

• RussiaRussia

• ScotlandScotland

• SloveniaSlovenia

• South South AfricaAfrica

• SpainSpain

• SwedenSweden

• SwitzerlandSwitzerland

• SyriaSyria

• ThailandThailand

• TurkeyTurkey

• UruguayUruguay

• USAUSA

• WalesWales

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Titanic’s RouteTitanic’s Route

Atlantic Ocean

Icebergs

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Why Titanic SankWhy Titanic Sank

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Don’t Forget!Don’t Forget!

• Most of the iceberg Most of the iceberg is underwater, is underwater, where you can’t where you can’t see itsee it

• Does more damage Does more damage to ships than you to ships than you might expectmight expect

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Iceberg DamageIceberg Damage

• 5 watertight 5 watertight compartments compartments damageddamaged

• Total Damage = 12 Total Damage = 12 square feet (about the square feet (about the size of an average size of an average doorway)doorway)

• All damage was below All damage was below the waterline, which the waterline, which caused the ship to caused the ship to floodflood

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Why People DiedWhy People Died

• Not enough lifeboatsNot enough lifeboats– Titanic had 20, more than legally required but not Titanic had 20, more than legally required but not

enough for everyone on boardenough for everyone on board– Not all lifeboats were full because passengers Not all lifeboats were full because passengers

didn’t believe Titanic would sinkdidn’t believe Titanic would sink

• Cold waterCold water– 28 degrees = hypothermia28 degrees = hypothermia

• No help nearbyNo help nearby– Rescue ships arrived about two hours after Titanic Rescue ships arrived about two hours after Titanic

sanksank

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HypothermiaHypothermia

• Body temperature lower than 96 Body temperature lower than 96 degrees leads to irregular heartbeat degrees leads to irregular heartbeat and deathand death

• Body temperature drops 25 times Body temperature drops 25 times faster in cold water than in the airfaster in cold water than in the air

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More on HypothermiaMore on Hypothermia

• When the water is 32 degrees When the water is 32 degrees (freezing) (freezing) – Most people will be exhausted or Most people will be exhausted or

unconscious in about 15 minutesunconscious in about 15 minutes– Most people will die in 15 to 45 minutesMost people will die in 15 to 45 minutes

• The water that night was 28 degreesThe water that night was 28 degrees

• Each of Titanic’s victims died a slow, Each of Titanic’s victims died a slow, painful, and terrifying deathpainful, and terrifying death

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Lost: The Goodwin FamilyLost: The Goodwin Family

Frederick and Augusta Goodwin and 5 of their children: Harold, William, Jesse, Lillian, and Charles.

Baby Sidney (age 2) not pictured.

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The GoodwinsThe Goodwins

• 33rdrd class class

• Emigrating from England to AmericaEmigrating from England to America

• No one knows what happened to No one knows what happened to themthem

• None of their bodies were recoveredNone of their bodies were recovered

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Lost: The Allison FamilyLost: The Allison Family

• 11stst class class

• Nurse took baby Nurse took baby Trevor to lifeboatTrevor to lifeboat

• Parents didn’t know Parents didn’t know and refused to leave and refused to leave without himwithout him

• Hudson, Bess, and Hudson, Bess, and Helen diedHelen died

• Helen is the only first Helen is the only first class child who diedclass child who died

Hudson and BessAllison

Helen (2) andBaby Trevor

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Father Lost: The Navratil Father Lost: The Navratil FamilyFamily

Edmond (2) and Michel (3)

• 22ndnd class class

• Michel Navratil took his Michel Navratil took his kids to America without kids to America without telling his wifetelling his wife

• Placed kids in lifeboat Placed kids in lifeboat before he died on Titanicbefore he died on Titanic

• Kids reunited with Kids reunited with mother several weeks mother several weeks later (after she identified later (after she identified press photo)press photo)

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Father Lost: LaRoche FamilyFather Lost: LaRoche Family• 22ndnd Class Class

• Emigrating to Haiti to Emigrating to Haiti to avoid French racial avoid French racial discriminationdiscrimination

• Only mixed race family on Only mixed race family on TitanicTitanic

• Chose Titanic because Chose Titanic because other liners didn’t allow other liners didn’t allow children in dining roomchildren in dining room

• Juliette never got over the Juliette never got over the loss of Josephloss of Joseph

Joseph and Juliette LaRochewith daughters Simone (3) and Louise (1)

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Father Lost: The Hart FamilyFather Lost: The Hart Family

• 22ndnd Class Class

• Esther feared ship would Esther feared ship would sink and refused to sleep sink and refused to sleep at nightat night

• Benjamin put Esther and Benjamin put Esther and Eva, 7, in lifeboat then Eva, 7, in lifeboat then died on Titanicdied on Titanic

• Eva grew up and wrote a Eva grew up and wrote a book about it called book about it called Shadow of TitanicShadow of Titanic

Benjamin and Esther Hartwith daughter Eva (7)

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Saved: The Carter FamilySaved: The Carter Family

• 11stst class class

• Parents William and Parents William and Lucile and children Lucile and children William Jr, 11, and William Jr, 11, and Lucile, 14, survivedLucile, 14, survived

• William Jr’s most vivid William Jr’s most vivid memory was that his memory was that his dog was not allowed to dog was not allowed to get in the lifeboatget in the lifeboat

• The dog did not surviveThe dog did not survive

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Saved: Emily andSaved: Emily andFrankie GoldsmithFrankie Goldsmith

• 33rdrd class class

• Lost: father Frank and two Lost: father Frank and two family friends, Thomas family friends, Thomas Theobald and Alfred RushTheobald and Alfred Rush

• When he realized he would die, When he realized he would die, Thomas gave his wedding ring Thomas gave his wedding ring to Emily to take to his wifeto Emily to take to his wife

• Alfred turned 16 that day and Alfred turned 16 that day and chose to die like a man rather chose to die like a man rather than be saved like a childthan be saved like a child

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Frankie GoldsmithFrankie Goldsmith

• On Titanic, Frankie, 9, played with 4 other On Titanic, Frankie, 9, played with 4 other English-speaking third class boysEnglish-speaking third class boys– He was the only one who survivedHe was the only one who survived

• Settled in Detroit near Tiger StadiumSettled in Detroit near Tiger Stadium– Each time the crowd cheered Frankie Each time the crowd cheered Frankie

remembered the sounds of people dying in remembered the sounds of people dying in the freezing water and calling for helpthe freezing water and calling for help

• Frankie grew up and wrote a book about Frankie grew up and wrote a book about his experience called his experience called Echoes in the NightEchoes in the Night

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Total Loss of LifeTotal Loss of Life

• About 1,500 people diedAbout 1,500 people died

• 62% of the passengers died62% of the passengers died

• 72% of the crew died72% of the crew died

On Board Died Survived

Passengers 1,316 818 498

Crew 913 698 215

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Total Loss of LifeTotal Loss of Life

• Only one-third of the people on Only one-third of the people on Titanic survived (which means 2 of Titanic survived (which means 2 of every 3 people died)every 3 people died)

• If the 20 lifeboats had been full, half If the 20 lifeboats had been full, half might have survivedmight have survived

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What If?What If?

• Actually, the loss of life could have Actually, the loss of life could have been much worsebeen much worse

• Titanic could carry up to 3,295 Titanic could carry up to 3,295 peoplepeople– If so, it would have taken 63 lifeboats to If so, it would have taken 63 lifeboats to

save everyonesave everyone

• Fortunately, only about 2,200 people Fortunately, only about 2,200 people were aboardwere aboard

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Titanic TodayTitanic Today

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The Wreck is Surrounded by The Wreck is Surrounded by Debris from the ShipDebris from the Ship

Doll

Luggage and Other Stuff

Shoes

BenchDishes

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Artifacts from the WreckArtifacts from the Wreck

Dictionary

Bottles and GlasswareSkylight

Ring

Pocket Watch

Perfume

MoneySink & Shaving Gear

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What Can We Learn What Can We Learn From the Wreck?From the Wreck?

• How the ship broke up and whyHow the ship broke up and why

• Which parts of the ship are Which parts of the ship are preserved, which are not, and whypreserved, which are not, and why

• How steel structure reacts to How steel structure reacts to prolonged water damageprolonged water damage

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What Can We LearnWhat Can We LearnFrom the Artifacts?From the Artifacts?

• How to restore and save items How to restore and save items salvaged from ship wreckssalvaged from ship wrecks– Artifacts made of many different Artifacts made of many different

materials: leather, silver, glass, paper, materials: leather, silver, glass, paper, etc.etc.

• Artifacts remind us of the people who Artifacts remind us of the people who died and the importance of died and the importance of preventing shipwreckspreventing shipwrecks

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Any Questions?Any Questions?