Question 2169 Deck Safety

The correct answer is C) initial stability only. Metacentric height is a measure of a vessel's initial stability, which is the vessel's tendency to return to the upright position when it is subjected to a small angle of heel or list. Metacentric height is the distance between the center of gravity and the metacenter, which is the point where the upright buoyancy force intersects the inclined buoyancy force. A higher metacentric height indicates greater initial stability, but it does not necessarily indicate stability at larger angles of heel or the maximum righting arm. Therefore, metacentric height is a measure of initial stability only, not stability through all angles or maximum righting arm.