physics

Suntory Mermaid II

Suntory Mermaid II is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Suntory Mermaid II rather than just read about it. In short: Suntory Mermaid II is a 9.5-metre, 3-tonne catamaran driven by wave power. It features two fin tails which absorb wave energy and generate thrust by moving up and down with the motion of the boat.

Key takeaways

Suntory Mermaid II belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Suntory Mermaid II to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Suntory Mermaid II from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Suntory Mermaid II is a 9.5-metre, 3-tonne catamaran driven by wave power. It features two fin tails which absorb wave energy and generate thrust by moving up and down with the motion of the boat. The ship was designed by Hiroshi Terao of Tokai University.

World record On March 16, 2008, then 69-year-old Japanese sailor and environmentalist Kenichi Horie left the Hawaii Yacht Club, Honolulu, in Suntory Mermaid II, bound for Japan. He arrived on July 4, 2008 in the Kii Channel offshore of Hinomisaki cape, Wakayama, without incident. Horie had made the world's longest solo voyage in a wave-powered boat, using green technology. The non-stop voyage across the Western Pacific Ocean took 110 days and covered 7,000 kilometres (3,780 nautical miles). During the voyage, Horie ate mostly rice, curry, squid and flying fish he caught. The 9.5 metre (31-foot), three-ton yacht used wave energy to move two fins at its bow and propel it forward, sailing at an average speed of 1.5 knots. After arriving in Wakayama, Horie sailed on to his home harbour in Nishinomiya, where a homecoming ceremony was held. Suntory Mermaid II was powered by single solar battery and made from recycled materials. Horie said: "Throughout history, mankind has used wind for power, but no one has appeared to be serious about wave power. I think I'm a lucky boy as this wave power system has remained virtually untouched."

References

External links Kenichi Horie

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Suntory Mermaid II

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Suntory Mermaid II claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Suntory Mermaid II before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Suntory Mermaid II ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Suntory Mermaid II

In research: Suntory Mermaid II appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Suntory Mermaid II in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Suntory Mermaid II is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Energy conversion, Water power, Wave power, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Suntory Mermaid II outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Suntory Mermaid II in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Suntory Mermaid II means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Suntory Mermaid II out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Suntory Mermaid II in simple terms?

Suntory Mermaid II is a 9.5-metre, 3-tonne catamaran driven by wave power. It features two fin tails which absorb wave energy and generate thrust by moving up and down with the motion of the boat.

Why does Suntory Mermaid II matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Suntory Mermaid II?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Suntory Mermaid II.