ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Free-surface modelling

Okay, so imagine you have a big bowl of water. The water in the bowl is like a "free surface" because it can move around and change shape depending on what's happening around it. So, if you were to drop a penny into the bowl, the water would splash and move around until it settles back down into a new shape.

Free-surface modelling is a way for computer programs to simulate how liquids, like water, move and change shape in real life. This is useful for scientists and engineers because they can use it to study things like how waves form in the ocean or how a ship moves through water.

To make the simulation, the computer program creates a virtual "bowl" of water, just like the one in real life. It then uses lots of math equations to figure out how the water will move and change shape based on things like gravity, the shape of the container, and any other forces acting on it. It's kind of like playing a big game of pretend with the computer!

Overall, free-surface modelling helps scientists and engineers better understand how liquids behave, which can lead to improved designs for things like ships, dams, and even our drinking water systems.