Description
Archimedes was a clever ancient scientist who discovered that when you place something in the water, it experiences a special force pushing upwards. This is called the buoyant force.
So, boats stay afloat because the water around the boat pushes upward with a force equal to the weight of the water displaced by the boat. The boat changes its weight due to the buoyant force.
By comparing the change in weight to the amount of water displaced, you can calculate the density of the boat or other object floating in the water. With density, you can determine what material an object is made of. This principle is important in developing swimming aids such as arm floaties and life jackets.
The law of Archimedes doesn’t just apply to boats, but also to other objects in water like balls, bottles, and even when people are swimming!
Why can a boat float?
- Turn the wheel.
- Hang the object above the water and read the mass (A grams).
- Submerge the object under water and read the mass again (B grams).
- Read the volume of the water displaced (C ml).
- Calculate (A-B grams) : C ml = D
- Does the object float (D=1)?, hover (D<1) or sink (D>1)?
