I am doing a science experience prooving giant ships can float

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SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on proving the buoyancy and stability of ultra large crude carriers (ULCCs) through simple home experiments. Key concepts include the relationship between the center of gravity (CG) and center of buoyancy (CB), as well as the importance of the metacenter in determining a ship's stability. Participants suggest using basic measurements of ship dimensions and water displacement to demonstrate floating principles, alongside exploring Archimedes' principle and Reynolds number for further understanding of stability and turbulence.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Archimedes' principle
  • Familiarity with buoyancy concepts
  • Basic knowledge of center of gravity (CG) and center of buoyancy (CB)
  • Awareness of Reynolds number and its implications on fluid dynamics
NEXT STEPS
  • Research Archimedes' principle in depth
  • Learn about the metacenter and its role in ship stability
  • Explore the concept of Reynolds number and its effect on turbulence
  • Conduct experiments measuring water displacement with various ship models
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for physics students, maritime engineers, and hobbyists interested in understanding the principles of buoyancy and stability in large vessels.

duskwood100
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I am trying to prove why ultra large crude carriers and other kinds of ships can float, and why they are stable in water?

The experiments need to be simple and doable at home. I also could use some formula for stability and dead weight and so on. Could someone please help me, maybe point me in the right direction :smile:

I have basic background in maritime apprentice motorman. I am doing this however as a physics experiment.
 
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duskwood100 said:
I am trying to prove why ultra large crude carriers and other kinds of ships can float, and why they are stable in water?

The experiments need to be simple and doable at home. I also could use some formula for stability and dead weight and so on. Could someone please help me, maybe point me in the right direction :smile:

I have basic background in maritime apprentice motorman. I am doing this however as a physics experiment.

No one's going to say anything?!
 
I guess that floating small models in your bathtub is not what you want?
 
With respect to proving the ships float, I was going to suggest simply taking the dimensions of the ship LxWxH and comparing the weight of water to the published weight of the ship - but that also seemed a bit obvious and a bit crude, so perhaps that's also not what was wanted?
 
Presumably the question relates more to stability in the water, why do they not turn turtle? Given the low density of the VLCC payload, that seems a reasonable question.

Afaik, for lateral stability the answer revolves around the center of gravity vs the center of bouyancy of the ship. If the CG gets too close to or even above the CB, bad things can happen. Longitudinal stability is another question, suggestions from more knowledgeable contributers will be needed.
 
As a first attempt, I suggest you familiarize yourself with buoyancy and Archimedes principle.
 
ty 4 all the help
 
For ships of normal proportions, the CG is often located above the CB. When the CG is located above a point called the metacenter, bad things can happen.
 
I think the gist of your experiment is that a larger ship is more stable than a smaller ship, right?

Well, you could build miniature ships of all different sizes and put them in a wave tank and see how they move. Those freight shipping liners are huge, so they aren't really affected by waves. Well, they can still tip over on some bad occasions.

On the science side, you can read up on Reynolds number and see what it says about turbulence which could make for a bumpy ride.
 

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