3D teaching model · 12 seconds · Captioned
How a canal lock lifts a ship
Follow a vessel into a lock chamber, watch the water and ship rise together, and see why the upper gates open only after water levels match.
Explore this mechanism in interactive 3D →
Follow the mechanism
- 0:00
The lower gates are open. A ship enters at the lower water level.
- 0:02
The lower gates close. Both ends now isolate the chamber.
- 0:04
Water admitted through culverts raises the chamber level. The floating ship rises with it.
- 0:08
When the chamber and upper reach reach the same level, the upper gates open.
- 0:10
The ship leaves into the higher reach. Further chambers repeat the principle.
What the model simplifies
A simplified cutaway of one chamber, not a reconstruction of Gatun Locks. Dimensions, vessel, gate geometry and timing are illustrative. Culverts, valves and water-saving systems are omitted; water flow is represented by a changing level. The real canal uses multiple chambers.