Question 2159 Deck Safety

The correct answer is C) metacentric height. The metacentric height is the difference between the height of the metacenter and the height of the center of gravity of a floating vessel. This is an important property that determines the initial stability of the vessel. If the metacentric height is positive, the vessel will have positive initial stability and will tend to return to an upright position after being disturbed. If the metacentric height is negative, the vessel will have negative initial stability and will tend to continue rolling or capsizing. The other answer choices are incorrect because they do not represent the difference between the height of the metacenter and the center of gravity, which is the definition of metacentric height.