What term describes the intersection of two or more successive lines of buoyancy as the ship heels through small angles?

• A. Metacenter
• B. Center of Buoyancy
• C. Center of Gravity
• D. Baseline reference point

Answer: (A)

The concept being tested is initial stability described through the metacenter. As a ship heels even a small amount, the submerged shape changes, causing the center of buoyancy to move. If you imagine continuing the buoyant force lines for successive small heel angles, they intersect at a single fixed point above the ship’s center of gravity. That intersection point is the metacenter. It’s the reference point used to assess stability: the distance from the center of gravity up to the metacenter (the metacentric height) indicates whether the hull will return upright (positive GM) or capsize (negative GM).

The other terms aren’t describing this intersection: the center of buoyancy is simply the current buoyant center that shifts with heel; the center of gravity is the fixed weight center of the vessel; a baseline reference point isn’t involved in this stability concept.