3.2.23

Floating & Sinking

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Floating and Sinking

Objects that float rest on the surface of the water. Objects that sink descend below the surface of the water.

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Floating

  • Objects that float are less dense than the substance they are floating on.
  • If an object is able to float, it is described as buoyant.
  • A floating object’s weight will be less than or equal to that of the upthrust of the water.
  • Heavy objects like ships are able to float on water because they displace lots of water, and so there is an increase of upthrust.
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Upthrust

  • Upthrust is the force that pushes you upwards when floating on water.
  • It is also called buoyancy.
  • Saltwater is denser than freshwater - so it is easier to float on saltwater (such as the dead sea).
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Sinking

  • Objects will sink if their weight is greater than the upthrust.
  • If an object like a piece of wood floats on the ocean, it has sunk in the air.
  • Ships have a large surface area to increase the upthrust.
    • If the ship is overloaded with cargo, the increase in weight will make it sink.

Jump to other topics

1Biology

1.1Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2Reproduction & Variation

1.3Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4Digestion & Nutrition

1.5Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6Biological Systems & Processes

2Chemistry

2.1Particles

2.2Chemical Reactions

2.3Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4The Periodic Table

2.5Materials & the Earth

2.6Reactivity

2.7Energetics

2.8Properties of Materials

3Physics

3.1Energy

3.2Forces & Motion

3.3Waves

3.4Electricity & Magnetism

3.5Matter

3.6Space Physics

4Thinking Scientifically

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