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Displacement Formula:
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Ship displacement refers to the mass of water displaced by a ship's hull when it is floating. It represents the actual weight of the ship and everything on board, including cargo, fuel, crew, and provisions.
The calculator uses the displacement formula:
Where:
Explanation: According to Archimedes' principle, the weight of water displaced equals the weight of the floating object. For ships, this displacement weight equals the total weight of the vessel.
Details: Accurate displacement calculation is crucial for ship design, stability analysis, load planning, regulatory compliance, and determining the ship's draft and freeboard.
Tips: Enter the volume of water displaced in cubic meters and the water density in tonnes per cubic meter. Standard seawater density is approximately 1.025 tonne/m³, while freshwater is 1.000 tonne/m³.
Q1: What is the difference between displacement and deadweight?
A: Displacement is the total weight of the ship including everything on board, while deadweight is the carrying capacity (cargo, fuel, stores) that the ship can transport.
Q2: How is displacement volume measured?
A: Displacement volume is typically calculated from the ship's hull dimensions and draft measurements using hydrostatic tables or computational methods.
Q3: Why does water density matter?
A: Ships displace different amounts of water in saltwater vs freshwater due to density differences, affecting draft and buoyancy.
Q4: What are typical displacement values for ships?
A: Displacement varies widely - from a few tonnes for small boats to over 500,000 tonnes for the largest oil tankers and container ships.
Q5: How does displacement affect ship stability?
A: Proper displacement calculation ensures the ship's center of gravity and buoyancy are correctly positioned for stable operation.