Question

Build a small boat out of a piece of aluminum foil. Then place your boat in water and add masses into the boat until it sinks. Note: Coins make convenient masses to add. 1penny=2.5g and 1nickel=5g.

a. What did you learn about the buoyant force and flotation in boats?

b. What would you do differently next time?

c. What is the buoyant force on a 0.5m³ block of Styrofoam that is completely submerged in water and the density of water isρw=1000kg/m3?

d.If the density of the Styrofoam is ρs=15kg/m3 will the block float or sink?

Answer 1

a) Buoyant force on a boat depends on volume of boat inside the water. To increase that volume the mass on the boat can be increased using this penny system . Adding this mass helps in increasing the volume of boat inside water.

b) we would try adding coins of lighter weight to the boat as they will help the boat to float easily and less buoyant force will be exerted