How does buoyancy make objects float in water?
Quick Answer
Buoyancy is an upward force caused by pressure being greater lower down in a fluid than higher up. An object floats if the buoyant force balances or exceeds its weight.
The Full Story
Buoyancy follows Archimedes’ principle, which says the upward force on an object equals the weight of the fluid it displaces. If that upward force is enough to balance the object’s weight, it floats. That is why a steel ship can float: its hull contains lots of air, so its average density is less than water. The same principle explains why submarines can dive by taking in water and rise by expelling it. Archimedes described this effect in ancient Greece more than 2,000 years ago.
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