ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Funnel (ship)

Imagine you want to put your toys into a small box, but your toys are too big to fit in the box's opening. What can you do? You can use a funnel! A funnel is a tool that helps you pour things into a small space by using a wide opening and a narrow tip.

A ship also has a funnel, but it's much bigger than the one you use for your toys. A ship's funnel is like a chimney that sticks out from the top of the ship. It helps the ship get rid of the smoke and gases that are produced by the engines.

Ships have big engines and they burn fuel to create energy. This energy helps the ship move through the water. But when fuel is burned, it creates smoke and gases that can be harmful to the people on the ship. That's where the funnel comes in. The funnel is like a big “mouth” that sucks up the smoke and gases and gets rid of them outside the ship.

So, the funnel is an important part of a ship because it helps keep the air on the ship clean and safe. It's like a big straw that helps the ship “drink” the smoke and gases and spit them out far away from the people on the ship.