Question 2490 Deck Safety

The correct answer is C) .62 foot. The reduction in GM (metacentric height) due to the free surface effect can be calculated using the formula: Reduction in GM = IFL / (Volume of Displacement). In this case, the moment of inertia of the free surface (IFL) is calculated as (25 ft)^3 / 12 = 3,125 ft^4 for each tank. With two tanks, the total IFL is 6,250 ft^4. The volume of displacement is 6,000 tons, which is equivalent to 192,000 ft^3. Plugging these values into the formula, the reduction in GM is 6,250 ft^4 / 192,000 ft^3 = 0.62 ft. The other answer choices are incorrect because they do not accurately reflect the reduction in GM based on the given information.