Types of Buoyancy
There are three types of buoyancy:
- Positive buoyancy: When the weight of an object is lighter than the fluid it displaces is called positive buoyancy. For example, a boat that weighs (3000 kg) but displaces (4500 kg) of water will easily float
- Negative buoyancy: When the weight of an object is greater than the fluid it displaces is called negative buoyancy. For example, an iron nail may weigh 27 grams, but if it only displaces 17 grams of water, it will sink.
- Natural buoyancy: When the weight of an object is equal to the fluid it displaces. For example, a submarine can adjust its weight by adding or expelling water in special tanks called ballast tanks is an example of natural buoyancy.
Buoyant Force
Buoyancy is a phenomenon due to the buoyant force that causes an object to float. When you put an object in a liquid, an upward force is exerted on the object by the liquid. This force is equal to the weight of the liquid that has been displaced. The amount of liquid that has been displaced depends upon the density and the volume of the object immersed in the liquid. Have you ever wondered why an iron nail sinks in water, but a ship made up of iron floats? And why does an iron ball sink but a plastic ball of the same size floats in water? These wonders happen due to the phenomenon known as Buoyancy. Let’s learn the buoyancy definition, buoyancy equation, and its examples in detail.
Table of Content
- What is Buoyant Force?
- What causes Buoyant Force?
- Archimedes’ Principle
- Formula for Archimedes’ Principle
- Derivation of the Formula
- Demonstration of Buoyant Force
- Why does an Object float or sink in the water?
- Types of Buoyancy
- Applications of Buoyancy
- Solved Examples on Buoyancy