Why Don’t Giant Ships Tip Over?
Some cruise ships are taller than a 20-story building, so why don't they just tip over? It comes down to two invisible points: the center of gravity, where all the ship's weight pulls down, and the center of buoyancy, where the water pushes up. When a ship leans, more of the hull sinks on the low side, so the buoyancy point slides that way and twists the ship back upright. That's why heavy things like engines, fuel and ballast water are kept at the very bottom. But put too much weight up high and that twist works the other way. In 1628, Sweden's mighty warship Vasa was so top-heavy that a gentle gust tipped her over, and she sank in Stockholm harbor on her very first voyage, after sailing barely more than a kilometer. Subscribe to Deep Seacrets for more ocean and ship explainers 🌊 #shorts #ships #physics #science #cruiseship #vasa #ifyouveeverwondered