🔍 Key Concepts

• Buoyancy and density: A vessel floats higher in denser water (sea water) than in less dense water (fresh water). • Approximate density ratio of fresh water vs. sea water (use 1.000 for fresh water and about 1.025 for sea water). • Relationship between draft and water density: as density increases, draft decreases for the same vessel and load.

💭 Think About

• Will the vessel’s draft be deeper or shallower after moving from fresh water to sea water? Eliminate any choices that contradict this. • How can you use the ratio of densities (fresh to sea water) to adjust the original draft numerically? Think in terms of multiplying the fresh water draft by a fraction. • Compare your calculated draft to the original 19.5 ft: is the change in draft a small or large amount, and which answer choices reflect a realistic small change?

✅ Before You Answer

• Confirm that the draft must change in the correct direction when going from fresh water to sea water. • Use a density ratio close to 1.000 / 1.025 when adjusting the draft, not 1.025 / 1.000. • After calculating, check that your result is close to one of the options and that it is only slightly different from 19.5 ft, not a drastic change.