Why are fuel baffles installed in tanks?

Fuel baffles are essential components in fuel tanks primarily designed to prevent surging, which can occur due to various factors such as changes in altitude or aircraft movement. When an aircraft experiences turbulence or maneuvers, the fuel within the tank can shift rapidly. This movement can lead to surging, where the fuel sloshes back and forth, potentially affecting the aircraft's center of gravity and stability. By incorporating baffles into the tank design, the fuel's movement is restricted, ensuring that it remains more stable and reducing the risk of erratic behavior.

While other options such as increasing fuel volume, enhancing fuel flow efficiency, and maintaining stable fuel temperature are important considerations in fuel tank design, they are not the primary function of baffles. Instead, the focus of baffles is specifically on managing the dynamic behavior of the fuel during flight, particularly in response to changes caused by altitude variations or maneuvers.