Echo Sounding (OCR GCSE Physics A (Gateway Science Suite)): Revision Notes

Echo sounding is a technique used by boats and submarines to measure the depth of water or locate objects underwater.

It works by using ultrasound waves, which are high-frequency sound waves that can reflect off surfaces such as the sea bed or underwater objects. The time taken for ultrasound waves to reflect off the sea bed and return to the boat or submarine tells us how much distance there is between the sea bed and the bottom of the boat or submarine.