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Archimedes' principle in simple words

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14.6: Archimedes’ Principle and Buoyancy

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Learning Objectives
  • Define buoyant force
  • State Archimedes’ principle
  • Describe the relationship between density and Archimedes’ principle

When placed in a fluid, some objects float due to a buoyant force. Where does this buoyant force come from? Why is it that some things float and others do not? Do objects that sink get any support at all from the fluid? Is your body buoyed by the atmosphere, or are only helium balloons affected (Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\))?

Answers to all these questions, and many others, are based on the fact that pressure increases with depth in a fluid. This means that the upward force on the bottom of an object in a fluid is greater than the downward force on top of the object. There is an upward force, or buoyant force, on any object in any fluid (Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\)). If the buoyant force is greater than the object’s weight, the object rises to the surface and floats. If the buoyant force is less than the object’s weight, the object sinks.

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Lesson Archimedes' Principle, Pascal's Law and Bernoulli's Principle

Summary

Students are introduced to Pascal's law, Archimedes' principle and Bernoulli's principle. Fundamental definitions, equations, practice problems and engineering applications are supplied. Students can use the associated activities to strengthen their understanding of relationships between the previous concepts and real-life examples. A PowerPoint® presentation, practice problems and grading rubric are provided.

Engineering Connection

The concepts of Pascal's law, Archimedes' principle and Bernoulli's principle are important in engineering and technology applications, including aerodynamics and hydrodynamics, hydraulics, floating vessels, submersibles, airplanes, automobiles, aerospace guidance and control, pipelines and transport systems, as well as for many modern research topics such as ocean-related flows, turbulence, reacting flows, global climate, bio-fluid mechanics, flow over magnetic tapes and disks, geophysical flows, kinetics of combustion systems, and vortex dynamics.

Learning
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Archimedes' principle

Buoyancy principle in fluid dynamics

This article is about fluid dynamics. For the algebraic axiom, see Archimedean property.

Archimedes' principle states that the upward buoyant force that is exerted on a body immersed in a fluid, whether fully or partially, is equal to the weight of the fluid that the body displaces.[1] Archimedes' principle is a law of physics fundamental to fluid mechanics. It was formulated by Archimedes of Syracuse.[2]

Explanation

In On Floating Bodies, Archimedes suggested that (c. 246 BC):

Any object, totally or partially immersed in a fluid or liquid, is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.

Archimedes' principle allows the buoyancy of any floating object partially or fully immersed in a fluid to be calculated. The downward force on the object is simply its weight. The upward, or buoyant, force on the object is that stated by Archimedes' principle above. Thus, the net force on the object is the difference between the magnitudes of the buoyant force and i

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