Eli5 how do cargo ships not tip over? Aren’t they super top heavy?
In: 195
The hull is designed so that if it lists (tips to the side) the centre buoyancy (the up force) moves sideways more than the centre of gravity (the down force). As long as the centre of gravity remains closer to the ship’s centreline than the centre of buoyancy, the ship will right itself.
Beyond a certain list angle (between 40-60 degrees, depending on the ship) the centre of gravity moves outside the centre of buoyancy and the ship capsizes.
Latest Answers