Ballast

From Freepedia

Ballast may mean:

• Something that improves stability:
  • Track ballast (gravel or cinders) forms the railroad or railway track-bed on which sleepers (ties) and track is laid. The ballast allows for proper drainage and minimizes frost heaving.
  • Ship's ballast (water, sand, rocks, or bricks) is used to weight a ship down when it has very little cargo (though water may contain invasive species of pests).
  • Sailing ballast is mass used in a sailboat to provide stability.
  • A ballast (electrical) is used to stabilize the current flow in lamps.
• A village in Drenthe, Netherlands: Ballast (Drenthe)