How does the Panama Canal work

How does the Panama Canal work? The Panama Canal operates using a system of locks that raises and lowers ships between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Since these oceans are at different levels, the canal employs three sets of locks—Gatun, Pedro Miguel, and Miraflores—to adjust a ship's elevation. When a vessel enters the canal, water fills the lock chamber to lift the ship up to the level of Gatun Lake, an artificial lake created to assist the canal’s function. After crossing the lake, the ship is lowered back down through the locks on the opposite side, enabling it to pass through either ocean. The entire process is powered by gravity, using freshwater from surrounding lakes and reservoirs. Each lock chamber is 1,000 feet long and 110 feet wide, large enough to accommodate the massive cargo ships that regularly transit the canal. This engineering marvel shortens the voyage for ships by approximately 8,000 miles, compared to the journey around the southern tip of South America. Credits: The Marine Buff #interestingfacts #didyouknowfacts #DidYouKnow