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Part 5: Archimedes’ Principle

 Archimedes’ Principle state that when an object is

immersed in a fluid (a liquid or a gas) ,the buoyant force
(upthrust force) on the object is equal to the weight of
fluid displaced by the object
 The buoyant force is an upward force resulting from an
object being wholly or partially immersed in a fluid.
 Buoyant force makes thing seem to be lighter.
 When in water, the object experiences two forces:
 The actual weight which acts downwards
 The buoyant force which acts upwards.
 Volume of liquid displaced = volume of the submerged
part of the object.
Important Understanding
Example
The following diagram shows a metal block
suspended to a spring balance before and
after it is immersed in water. Determine:
a) The apparent lost in weight of the metal
block
b) The upthrust acted on the metal block
c) The volume of water displaced by the
metal block
d) The weight of water displaced.
e) Is the upthrust same as the weight of the
water displaced?
[density of water = 1 g cm-3]
Example
The following diagram shows a metal block
suspended to a spring balance before and
after it is immersed in water. Determine:
a) What is the mass of the metal block?
b) What is the loss of weight of the block?
c) What is the upthrust acting on the block?
d) What is the weight of water displaced?
e) Determine the volume of water
displaced?
[ density of water = 1.0 x 103 kg m-3]
Work Smart
 Applications (Hot Air Balloon)
 A hot-air balloon displaces a
large volume of cold air.
 The buoyant force due to the
surrounding air is equal the
weight of the cold air
displaced.
 When buoyant force is
higher, than the total weight
of the balloon, the balloon
will rise.
 When the total weight of the
balloon is equal to the
buoyant force, it remains
floating in the air.
Application (Submarine)
 A submarine has a large balast
tank, which is used to control its
position and depth from the
surface of the sea.
 When the ballast tanks are filled
with water, the buoyant force is
smaller than the weight of the
submarine. The submarine
sinks.
 When the ballast tanks are filled
with air (removed all water) , the
buoyant force is larger than the
weight of the submarine. The
submarine rises.
 Application (Sea Water vs River Water)

 The buoyant forces in sea and in the river are the same
 This is because the buoyant force is equal to the weight of
the boat which is unchanged.
 The density of fresh water is lower than sea water.
 Application (Sea Water vs River Water)
 The buoyant force of a floating boat is equal to the
weight of water displaced.
 The lower the density of the water, the larger the volume
of water displaced.
 A boat must displace more water to obtain sufficient
buoyant force to support its weight.
 Application (Plimsoll Line)

 The density of sea water varies with location. It is to ensure that a

ship is loaded within safe limits, the Plimsoll line marked on the
body of the ship acts as a guide.
 A ship will be submerged deeper in fresh water because the density
of fresh water is less than the sea water.
 For this reason, a ship must displace more water to obtain sufficient
buoyant force to support its weight.
 Moreover, a ship can float lower in the cold season as cold water
has a higher density.
Application (Hydrometer)
Application (Cartesian Diver)
Application (Airship)
 Popular Questions
Explain why a boat made of steel will float in water, but a block of
steel will sink.
 A block of steel will displaced a small volume of water only.
So the buoyant force acting on it is smaller than its weight.
Therefore it sinks.
 A ship floats on the surface of the sea because the volume of
water displaced by the ship is sufficiently large.
 The weight of water displaced is large so the buoyant force
acting on the ship is also greater. Weight of ship equal Buoyant
force. Therefore it floats.
 Although a ship is constructed of metal, which has a larger
density than water, its shape is hollow so that the overall
density of the ship is smaller than the sea water.
 As a result, the buoyant force acting on the ship is large
enough to support its weight.
 Popular Questions

If extra weight is put into the boat, why will the boat float
lower in the water?

It displaces more water so that there is a larger buoyant

force to support the extra weight.
 Part 6: Bernoulli’s Principle

Bernoulli’s principle states that the pressure of a moving fluid

decreases as the speed of the fluid increases and vice versa.
 Simple Experiments

 When the air is blown up in the surface of a piece of

paper, the paper moves up.
 According to Bernoulli’s Principle, the pressure of the
moving air decreases as the speed of the air increases.
 The higher atmospheric pressure which acts at the bottom
of the paper pushes up the paper.
 Simple Experiments

 When the air is blown harder

through the straw, the two ping-
pong balls will move closely to each
other.
 The air moved at a very high
velocity between the balls.
 According to Bernoulli’s Principle,
the pressure of the moving air
decreases as the speed of the air
increases.
 The higher atmospheric pressure
outside caused the ping-pong balls
to come closer to each other.
 Simple Experiments
 When the air blows harder, the
ball is not falling down.
 Air moves at a very high
velocity between the balls and
the wall of the filter tunnel.
 According to Bernoulli’s
Principle, the pressure of the
moving air decreases as the
speed of the air increases.
 The bottom of the ball has
higher atmospheric pressure
which holds the ball from
falling down.
Mark the water level in the vertical tubes P,Q and R in the following figures.
Mark the water level in the vertical tubes P,Q and R in the following figures.
Mark the water level in the vertical tubes P,Q and R in the following figures.
 Application (Bunsen Burner)
 Jet of gas flows out from the
nozzle with high velocity
 The pressure in the Bunsen
burner becomes low
 Higher external atmospheric
pressure will be sucked into
the air hole and be mixed
with the gas.
 The mixture of gas and
excessive oxygen allows
complete combustion of the
gas.
 Application (Aerofoil)

 Air travels a greater distance over the top of the wing.

Hence, air flows with higher velocity.
 Air pressure on top decrease.
 At bottom, air flows with lower velocity.
 Air pressure increases at bottom.
 A net upward force called lift is produced due to the
difference in pressure
 Application (Insect Piston Spray)

 When the piston is pushed, air is forced out through the

jet of gas at a high speed.
 According to Bernoulli’s Principle, the pressure of the
moving air decreases as the speed of the air increases
 The higher atmospheric pressure in the insect poison
container will push the insect poison liquid up through
the narrow metallic tube
 Application (Real Life)
 When two speed bots move
faster and closely to each other,
an accident may be occurred.
 It is because the water moves at
a very high velocity between
the boats.

 According to Bernoulli’s
Principle, the pressure of the
moving air decreases as the
speed of the air increases.
 Higher atmospheric pressure on
either side of the boats causes
its closer to each other.