Floating and Sinking
An object will sink if the upthrust is less than the weight.
The object will accelerate downwards to the bottom of the container as there is a resultant force.
An object will float if the upthrust is equal and opposite to the object's weight.
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Key terms in this lesson
- upthrust
- The upward force exerted on an object submerged, fully or partly, in a fluid, equal to the weight of fluid displaced.
- equilibrium
- A state in which the resultant force and resultant moment on an object are both zero, so it has no tendency to accelerate or turn.
More in Fluids
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