Naval Science 2

Buoyancy, Stability, Metacentric Height Laboratory

Equipment
 Transparent tank
 Water
 Transparent floating cup
 2 x chopsticks
 Paper clamps
 Putty
 Multiple weights/washers

Introduction/Purpose
US naval ships sail the seas in a multitude of configurations, designs and environments around the
world. This being the case, ships must be inherently stable to operate in these conditions if they are to be
expected to defend the interests of our nation and our allies. This stability is achieved through proper design
and measurements of weight distribution of the ship and its installed equipment, various fluids and ammunition.
This laboratory will introduce the students to the concepts of buoyancy, stability and metacentric height.

Definitions
 Buoyancy -

 Stability -

 Metacentric height -

Directions/Preparations
1) Take your pre-drilled floating cup.
2) Place a chopstick through the first drilled hole through the second drilled hole
3) Place the second chopstick through the other drilled holes, perpendicularly to the first chopstick.
4) Raise the weights on the vertical chopstick to the proper height and place the last paper clamp
underneath the weights to keep them in place.
5) Fill your transparent water tank about three quarters full.
6) Place the floating cup in the water slowly to verify its stability in the water.

Adjusting weight
By adjusting the clips and putty on the horizontal chopsticks, you can create a list or balance the cup.
By adding or removing weight to the vertical bolt, you can change the draft of the cup.

Weight Configurations
 1) Balanced cup with no additional weight added to the center bolt
2) Balanced cup with five (5) washers placed on the center bolt
3) Balanced cup with one nut below the five (5) washers placed as high on the center bolt as possible

Scenario 1
Place the floating cup with Weight Configuration 1 into the transparent tank in a balanced arrangement.
Observe the amount of depth of the floating cup and record. Hypothesize on what would happen if you applied
a force with your finger to one side of the cup and released it? Observe if the reaction of the cup matched your
hypothesis and how quickly the cup moved. Repeat this step to get used to the speed of the “Righting Arm”
affect.

Apparent depth of cup:

Hypothesis:

Observation:

Compare/Contrast:

Scenario 2
Place the floating cup with Weight Configuration 2 into the transparent bowl and repeat the same
actions from Scenario 1. Hypothesize whether the additional weight on the bolt will increase or decrease the
speed at which the cup corrects itself.

Apparent depth of cup:

Hypothesis:

Observation:

Compare/Contrast
Scenario 3
Arrange the cups with Weight Configuration 3, be careful not to snap the bolt off the bottom of the cup.
Re-balance the cup with the new weight and repeat the previous actions of Scenario 1 and 2 and answer the
following questions.

Apparent depth of the cup:

1) How did adjusting the weights affect the draft of the cups?

2) How did the stability of the cup change from scenario 2 and 3?

3) Based on your observations, how would you change the weight configuration of Weight
Configuration 3 to maximize stability?

Scenario 4
Keep the same weight configuration of number 3, and attempt to unbalance the cup to the point just
before it would take on water and sink. Once ready, call Mr. McKeown over to be judged as the most
unbalanced team.

Instead of answering the questions about the lab, I want you to tell me your impressions of how well the
team is working toward its goal, how well you believe you are leading them, and any situation that
arose where you had difficulty in this leadership role.  Do not provide one word answers for these
questions, I want to see earnest effort about this event went and what you felt.