Item Description

Study of conditions necessary for the stable equilibrium of floating bodies is important for the design of floating bodies such as ships, rafts and pontoons. In order to familiarize students with the laws of floatation, it is essential to demonstrate the various principles of hydrostatics including the importance of relative positions of the center of buoyancy and the center of gravity and the metacentric height of the floating body.

The Sci-tech Stability of a Floating Body Apparatus Model FM 11 is a bench top unit designed to demonstrate the conditions for the stable, unstable and neutral equilibrium. The position of metacenter and hence the metacentric height can be varied by changing the weight distribution to obtain stable or unstable equilibrium conditions. The apparatus consists of a rectangular plastic pontoon. The center of gravity of the pontoon can be varied by changing the position of the adjustable sliding weight on a vertical mast.

Various degrees of heel can be obtained by sliding a weight along a lateral slide rod. Thus different stability conditions can be obtained be varying the positions of weights on the vertical and lateral slides. The angle of heel can be read using a plumb bob and the scale marked on the lateral slide. The Sci-tech Stability of a Floating Body Apparatus Model FM 11 is important equipment for the marine, navel architecture, civil, hydraulic and mechanical engineering laboratories of educational institutions.

The complete unit is manufactured from corrosion resistant material. The experiments can be conducted by filling the volumetric tank of the FM100 Hydraulic Bench or any other available standard hydraulic bench models.