Understanding buoyant force, laws of flotation, Archimedes' principle and the science behind floating ships.
A body floats in a liquid when the weight of the body is equal to the buoyant force acting on it.
A floating body displaces a quantity of liquid whose weight is equal to the weight of the body.
For a floating body in equilibrium, the weight acts downward through its centre of gravity while buoyant force acts upward through its centre of buoyancy. These forces balance each other.
A wooden block floats because it sinks only until the displaced water produces enough buoyant force to balance the block's weight.
Buoyant force is the upward force exerted by a fluid on a body that is partially or completely immersed in it.
The buoyant force acts vertically upward, opposite to the direction of gravity.
Fluid pressure increases with depth. Therefore, the pressure on the lower surface can be greater than the pressure on the upper surface.
When a body is wholly or partially immersed in a fluid, it experiences an upward buoyant force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the body.
The buoyant force depends on the density of the fluid, gravitational acceleration, and the volume of fluid displaced.
Archimedes' principle is used to understand ships, submarines, hydrometers and the measurement of volume and density.
| Archimedes' Principle | Buoyant Force |
|---|---|
| A principle that explains the relationship between an immersed body's buoyant force and the displaced fluid. | The actual upward force exerted by the fluid on the immersed body. |
| It is a scientific principle or law. | It is a physical force. |
| States that buoyant force equals the weight of displaced fluid. | Can be calculated as: FB = ρgV. |
A ship has a hollow design, allowing it to displace a large volume of water.
The ship floats when the buoyant force equals the weight of the ship.
A body floats when the upward buoyant force balances its weight.
The upward force exerted by a fluid on an immersed body.
Buoyant force is equal to the weight of the displaced fluid.
Ships float because their shape allows them to displace enough water to balance their weight.
A special note of gratitude to my Physics teacher for guiding, inspiring and helping me understand the fascinating world of Physics.