It is generally not advisable to drive a wedge into a crack occurring in the hull because wedges __________.

Correct Answer: Option B — tend to open the crack

Driving a wedge into a hull crack is dangerous because the mechanical force applied by the wedge acts as a concentrated stress riser, which will propagate the crack further through the plating. This action exacerbates the structural damage rather than containing it, potentially leading to catastrophic failure of the hull.