Question 2497 Deck Safety

The correct answer is A) 1.22 feet. The reduction in metacentric height due to free surface effect is calculated using the formula: Δ GM = (ρ * b^2 * l) / (12 * Δ), where ρ is the density of the fluid, b is the breadth of the tank, l is the length of the tank, and Δ is the displacement of the vessel. Given the dimensions of the tank (45 feet long and 45 feet wide) and the vessel's displacement (8,000 tons), the calculation results in a reduction of 1.22 feet in the metacentric height, which makes A the correct answer. The other options are incorrect because they do not accurately reflect the reduction in metacentric height based on the provided information.