Section: STEM · PhysicsDifficulty: Easy
Buoyancy
USUK
The upward force a fluid exerts on an object submerged in it.
Also: upthrust · Archimedes' principle
Definition
Buoyancy is the upward force exerted by a fluid on any object immersed in it, as described by Archimedes' Principle: the buoyant force equals the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. An object floats when the buoyant force equals or exceeds its weight, and sinks when its weight exceeds the buoyant force. Buoyancy is fundamental to ship design, submarine operation, and hot air ballooning.
Example
“A steel ship floats even though steel is denser than water because its hull shape displaces a volume of water that weighs more than the entire ship, generating enough buoyant force to keep it afloat.”
Synonyms
- Archimedes' principle
- upthrust
- buoyant force
Antonyms / Opposites
- gravity
- weight
Images
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Related Terms
- Archimedes' Principle
- Fluid Dynamics
- Density
- Pascal's Law