ARCHIMEDES PRINCIPLE AND LAW OF FLOTATION

Relative density, or specific gravity

why object sink?

Objects with tightly packed molecules are more dense than those where the molecules are spread out. Density plays a part in why some things float and some sink. Objects that are more dense than water sink and those less dense float.

why object sink?

Hollow things often float too as air is less dense than water.

This is partly why huge heavy ships float. Another thing to consider is the shape of an object.

Generally the more of the outside of an object that is touching the water the more buoyant it is. Water pushes back up against objects so the more surface area an object has the more water pushes back against it helping it to float.

Object sink because upthrust is less than weight of an object

RELATIVE DENSITY : the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a standard