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CSEC Physics/Section A - Mechanics/6.2 Archimedes' Principle

6.2 Archimedes' Principle

When a body is partially or wholly submerged in a fluid, it experiences an upthrust equal
to the weight of the fluid it displaces.

Credits: Course Hero

F 1 = P 1 A = ρgh 1 A

F 2 = P 2 A = ρgh 2 A

upthrust = F net(upwards)

= F2 − F1

= P2 A − P1 A

= ρgh 2 A − ρgh 1 A

= ρgA(h 2 − h 1 )

= ρgAh

Recall that Ah = V solid

:

upthrust = ρgV solid

= ρgV f luid (because V solid = V f luid )

We also know that ρV f luid = m f luid :

upthrust = m f luid g →the weight of the f luid

displaced by the solid

The relationship between Archimedes' principle and

relative density
Relative density (sometimes referred to as specific gravity) is the ratio of the density of a
substance to the density of water. It is a dimensionless quantity (has no units).
ρ substance
relative density(ρ rel ) =
ρ water

If we let the volume of the substance and that of the water be V :

ρ substance V
ρ rel =
ρ water V

Mass is the product of density and volume thus:

m substance
ρ rel =
m water

Since the weight of anything is the product of its mass and acceleration due to gravity (g):
m substance g
ρ rel =
m water g

W substance
=
W water

According to Archimedes' Principle, the weight of the water (the fluid being displaced) is
equal to the upthrust:

W substance
ρ rel =
upthrust

The upthrust is the difference between the substance's weight in air and its weight in
water:

W substance(in air)
ρ rel =
W substance(in air)
− W substance(in water)

weight
=
apparent loss in weight

Example
The weight of a rock in air is 200 N and its weight in water is 80 N. What is the relative
density of the rock?
 weight in air
ρ rel =
weight in air − weight in water

200 N
=
200 N − 80 N
200 N
=
120 N
= 1.67

This means that the rock is 1.67 times as dense as water. Since the relative density of the
rock is 1.67 (greater than 1), it will sink in water.

Relative density and buoyancy

Buoyancy can be defined as the tendency of an object to float in a given fluid. We can
use the relative density of a substance to predict its buoyancy:

– When a substance has a relative density of less than 1, it will float in the fluid (liquid
or gas). In other words, if a substance is less dense than the fluid we place it in, it will
float.
– When a substance has a relative density of more than 1, it will sink in the fluid. In
other words, if a substance is denser than the fluid we place it in, it will sink.

Mission details
Study the table below and state which substances will float and those that will sink in
water.

Credits: ResearchGate

Missions details
Examine the table above and list which substance will float in any fluid.
Relative densities can be used for comparing densities of substances