Buoyancy
1. A Little About Buoyancy o In order to understand how a boat can float in water we must first go over one of the principles behind such a feat: buoyancy. This principle in physics was discovered by the mathematician Archimedes about 2,000 years ago, so it has been taught and understood for some time now. The basics of buoyancy involve the relationship between the weight of the object in question, in this case a boat, and the weight of the water it displaces. If the object weighs more than the water it displaces, it is going to sink to the bottom. This object is negatively buoyant. If the weight of the object is the same as the weight of the water it displaces, it is going to hover suspended in the water. This is called neutral buoyancy. Finally, if the weight of the object is less than the weight of the water it displaces, such as in the case of a boat, it is going to float. It is positively buoyant.
A Little About Displacement o Now that we understand what buoyancy is, let's take a look at water displacement, since it has so much to do with buoyancy and the floating of a boat. Archimedes is said to have discovered this scientific principle as he lowered himself into a bathtub one day. No doubt you have seen it yourself. When you sit in a bathtub, or lower anything into water, the water level rises, because some of it is being displaced. An object will always displace an amount of water equal to its weight or its volume, whichever comes first. This principle, coupled with the principle of buoyancy, reveals how boats are made to float.
How Boats Use These Principles to Float o A boat is specially designed to displace a great amount of water without being so heavy that it will sink. For one, boats are relatively hollow; much of the inside is air. This makes them much less dense than most objects their size. The large surface area at the bottom of the boat also displaces more water, but does so in a way that the boat does not have to sink too far into the
A Little About Displacement o Now that we understand what buoyancy is, let's take a look at water displacement, since it has so much to do with buoyancy and the floating of a boat. Archimedes is said to have discovered this scientific principle as he lowered himself into a bathtub one day. No doubt you have seen it yourself. When you sit in a bathtub, or lower anything into water, the water level rises, because some of it is being displaced. An object will always displace an amount of water equal to its weight or its volume, whichever comes first. This principle, coupled with the principle of buoyancy, reveals how boats are made to float.
How Boats Use These Principles to Float o A boat is specially designed to displace a great amount of water without being so heavy that it will sink. For one, boats are relatively hollow; much of the inside is air. This makes them much less dense than most objects their size. The large surface area at the bottom of the boat also displaces more water, but does so in a way that the boat does not have to sink too far into the