復ふく元げん力りょく

noun

restoring force; righting moment; stability

Technical term in physics and naval architecture: the force or moment that returns a displaced object (e.g., a ship, a spring) to its equilibrium position. 'Righting moment' is specific to ships; 'restoring force' is the general physics term.

• 船ふねの復ふく元げん力りょくが大おおきいほど、転てん覆ぷくしにくい。

  The greater the ship's righting moment, the harder it is to capsize.

• ばねの復ふく元げん力りょくは変へん位いに比ひ例れいする。

  The restoring force of a spring is proportional to its displacement.