SteamshipA steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships came into practical usage during the early 1800s; however, there were exceptions that came before. Steamships usually use the prefix designations of "PS" for paddle steamer or "SS" for screw steamer (using a propeller or screw).
PaddleA paddle is a handheld tool with an elongated handle and a flat, widened distal end (i.e. the blade), used as a lever to apply force onto the bladed end. It most commonly describes a completely handheld tool used to propel a human-powered watercraft by pushing water in a direction opposite to the direction of travel (i.e. paddling). It is different to an oar (which is similar in shape and performs the same function via rowing) in that the latter is attached to the watercraft via a fulcrum.
USS MonitorUSS Monitor was an ironclad warship built for the Union Navy during the American Civil War and completed in early 1862, the first such ship commissioned by the Navy. Monitor played a central role in the Battle of Hampton Roads on 9 March under the command of Lieutenant John L. Worden, where she fought the casemate ironclad (built on the hull of the scuttled steam frigate ) to a stalemate.
Paddle steamerA paddle steamer is a steamship or steamboat powered by a steam engine that drives paddle wheels to propel the craft through the water. In antiquity, paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans. In the early 19th century, paddle wheels were the predominant way of propulsion for steam-powered boats. In the late 19th century, paddle propulsion was largely superseded by the screw propeller and other marine propulsion systems that have a higher efficiency, especially in rough or open water.
Mississippi| unit_pref = Imperial | area_footnotes = | area_magnitude = | area_total_km2 = 125,443 | area_total_sq_mi = 48,430 | area_land_km2 = 121,607 | area_land_sq_mi = 46,952 | area_water_km2 = 3,940 | area_water_sq_mi = 1,521 | area_water_percent = 3 | area_rank = | dimensions_footnotes = | length_km = 545 | length_mi = 340 | width_km = 275 | width_mi = 170 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 90 | elevation_ft = 300 | elevation_point = | elevation_max_footnotes = | elevation_max_m = 246.
RiverA river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually a freshwater stream, flowing on the surface or inside caves towards another waterbody at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, sea, bay, lake, wetland, or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground or becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of water. Small rivers can be referred to by names such as creek, brook, and rivulet. There are no official definitions for the generic term river as applied to geographic features, although in some countries or communities, a stream is defined by its size.
Marine propulsionMarine propulsion is the mechanism or system used to generate thrust to move a watercraft through water. While paddles and sails are still used on some smaller boats, most modern ships are propelled by mechanical systems consisting of an electric motor or internal combustion engine driving a propeller, or less frequently, in pump-jets, an impeller. Marine engineering is the discipline concerned with the engineering design process of marine propulsion systems. Human-powered paddles and oars, and later, sails were the first forms of marine propulsion.
Steam engineA steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid. The steam engine uses the force produced by steam pressure to push a piston back and forth inside a cylinder. This pushing force can be transformed, by a connecting rod and crank, into rotational force for work. The term "steam engine" is generally applied only to reciprocating engines as just described, not to the steam turbine. Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separated from the combustion products.
Missouri RiverThe Missouri River is the longest river in the United States. Rising in the Eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitteroot Range of the Rocky Mountains of Southwestern Montana, the Missouri flows east and south for before entering the Mississippi River north of St. Louis, Missouri. The river drains a sparsely populated, semi-arid watershed of more than 500,000 square miles (1,300,000 km2), which includes parts of ten U.S. states and two Canadian provinces.
Paddle wheelA paddle wheel is a form of waterwheel or impeller in which a number of paddles are set around the periphery of the wheel. It has several uses, of which some are: Very low-lift water pumping, such as flooding paddy fields at no more than about height above the water source. To move and mix algae culture in the raceway ponds used for algaculture. Propulsion of watercraft (as a paddlewheel) Low head hydro power (as a waterwheel) Flow sensors Aerators The paddle wheel is an ancient invention but is still used today in a wide range of industrial and agriculture applications.
