Law of Floatation The Law of Floatation states that an object immersed in a fluid will displace the amount of fluid it displaces with the same volume of...
The Law of Floatation states that an object immersed in a fluid will displace the amount of fluid it displaces with the same volume of fluid displaced by it. This means that an object will float upright in a fluid if it is less dense than the fluid, and it will sink if it is more dense.
Mathematical Formulation:
F_b = F_s
Where:
F_b is the buoyant force acting on the object
F_s is the weight of the fluid displaced by the object
Examples:
A floating cork in water is less dense than the water, so it will float.
A feather floating in the air is more dense than air, so it will sink.
A block of wood floating in a swimming pool is denser than the water, so it will sink.
Additional Notes:
The buoyant force is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.
The buoyant force is independent of the shape of the object.
The buoyant force is inversely proportional to the density of the fluid