Question 2139 Deck Safety

The correct answer is D) neutral. When the height of the metacenter (the point where the buoyancy force acts) is the same as the height of the center of gravity of a vessel, the upright equilibrium position is neutral. In this case, the vessel will remain in equilibrium in the upright position, but any small disturbance will cause it to start listing or heeling over. This is because there is no restoring moment (a force that tries to return the vessel to the upright position) acting on the vessel. The other options are incorrect because a negative metacenter height results in an unstable equilibrium (option B), while a metacenter height higher than the center of gravity results in a stable equilibrium (option C). Option A, "negative," is incorrect because it does not accurately describe the relationship between the metacenter height and the center of gravity.