Buoyancy

Problems
 General Information
• Weight ALWAYS acts downward
• Fg = mg
• mass is in kilograms
• Buoyant Force (FB) always acts upward
• Buoyant Force is equal to the weight of the fluid that is
displaced
• Fg = mg
• m = ρV
 Sinking or Ascending
• If the Buoyant Force is greater than the Weight
there will be a Net Force in the upward
direction and the object will accelerate upward
• If the Buoyant Force is less than the Weight
there will be a Net Force in the downward
direction and the object will accelerate
downward
 Floating
• The weight of a floating object is equal to the
Buoyant Force
• The Buoyant Force is equal to the weight of the fluid
that is displaced
• Assumptions
– The mass of the air inside a boat is zero
– The volume of the balloon is equal to the volume of the air
that is displaced
– We always balloon on VERY cold days when the ambient
air temperature is 0 ºC (unless told otherwise)
 Floatation Equation Manipulation
• Fg = F B
• mobjectg = mdisplaced fluidg
• g cancels out so mobject = mdisplaced fluid
• mdisplaced fluid = ρdisplaced fluidV
• mobject includes
• mass of the empty boat, balloon or other floating thing
• mass of the payload (whatever is inside the boat/balloon
or cargo)
• mass of the gas inside a balloon
 For Balloons
• mballoon + mpayload + mgas inside = mair displaced
• m = ρV and Vgas inside = Vair displaced
• Therefore
• mballoon + mpayload + ρgas insideV = ρair displacedV
What is the apparent weight of a block of steel
which has a volume of 125 ml?
• Will the object sink or float? • Sink
• What is the volume of the • 125 ml
water that is displaced?
• What is the weight of the • 125 ml = 125 g = 0.125 kg =
water that is displaced? 1.23 N

• What is the weight of the • 125 ml x 7.8 g/ml = 975 g =

block? 0.975 kg = 9.56 N

• What is the apparent weight • 9.56 – 1.23 = 8.33 N

of the block?
 What percentage of a 35 g block of balsa
wood will be under the water if it floats?

• What is the mass of the • 35 g

water that is displaced?
• What is the volume of the • 35 ml
water that is displaced?
• What is the volume of the
block? • 35/0.12 = 292 ml
• What is the percentage of
the block that displaces • 35/292 x 100 = 12.0 %
water?
A 75 gram block of pine is held
under the water by a rope tied to a
weight on the bottom. If the rope is
cut, what will be the acceleration of
the block of wood?
• What is the volume of the • 75/0.5 = 150 ml
block?
• What is the buoyant force • 150 ml = 150 g = 0.150 kg =
acting on the block? 1.47 N
• What is the weight of the • 75 g = 0.075 kg = 0.736 N
block?
• What is the net force acting • 1.47 – 0.736 = 0.734 N
on the block?
• What is the acceleration of
the block? • 0.734/.075 = 9.79 m/s2
A spherical balloon with a radius of 15 m is filled with helium on
a VERY cold day. If the empty balloon has mass of 6000 kg,
how much can the balloon lift?

• What is the volume of the • V = 4/3πr3 = 14,137 m3

balloon?
• What is the mass of the air • m = ρV = 14,137(1.29) =
that is displaced? 18,237 kg
• What is the mass of the gas • 14,137(0.178) = 2516 kg
inside?
• How many kilograms can • 18237 – 2516 = 15720 kg
the balloon lift total?
• How much can the balloon • 9721 kg
lift?