How come a ship can stop by just dropping an anchor?

Question

How come a ship can stop by just dropping an anchor?

Answer 1

It can't. Anchors are designed to hold the ship against wind and tide, they're not designed to stop a moving ship - and they don't.

Answer 2

Dropping an anchor is the same as putting your foot out the door of a moving car.  The car will stop, but it will take some time.

Answer 3

Anchors is heavy. Because it is attached so it won't move.

Answer 4

Because the anchor catches on the bottom and the chain connects it to the ship.  Normally the ship is already stopped before dopping the anchor and the anchor only holds it in place.  The only time I have heard of the anchor being dropped while the ship was still moving was a few years ago when a ship lost power going down the river @ New Orleans....the ship still hit a shopping mall located on the river bank but the anchor slowed the ship enough to make the carnage a lot less than what it could have been.

Answer 5

Simple, it's magic, no more no less

Answer 6

the anchor is heavy, so when it's dropped, the boat stops since its attatched to a chain to the anchor

Answer 7

because the anchor is made to grab the mud at the bottom of the sea floor and when it hits the bottom its claws its way into the mud

Answer 8

it can't stop the anchor holds the ship in place. if the ship is traveling at 23 knots and drops an anchor than when the anchor catches on somthing like a rock then it gets jerked down and then spins usually sinking the boat if they're going fast enough. have u seen pirates of the carribian 1 watch that and you'll see what i mean. most new ships have a stoping system, if they need an emergency stop then they kill power, the propellers have special equipment that helps them stop quickly. then the captin throws it in  revers. it can't go backwards like a car can but it helps slow the ship down significantly

Answer 9

Anchors are very heavy+ they are attached to a heavy chain whicc is connected to the boat

Answer 10

simple...anchor hooked up to boat hooks up with bottom. Done.