Eli5 how do cargo ships not tip over? Aren’t they super top heavy?
In: 195
Yes, they are top-heavy, in the sense that the center of mass (all that cargo) is above the center of buoyancy (that hole in the water).
Cargo ships are stable in the upright position because the increase in buoyancy as they tilt to one side (called “listing”) more than makes up for how much the weight has shifted to that same side.
If a ship is listing to the left (“port”), the center of buoyancy moves faster to the left than the center of mass. This makes the ship want to return to an upright position.
This will be true until the center of mass is more to the left than the center of buoyancy, at which time it will flip over (“capsize”).
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