Archimedes Principle and Buoyancy

man under waterYou have probably noticed that some people float in water. Divers need to wear weights to counteract their tendency to float. In this topic, you will learn about the buoyant force and why some objects float and others do not. You will also discover why divers have to carefully determine how much weight they need to stay submerged. Using physics, you will be able to figure out how much weight is necessary to stay submerged.

Essential Questions:

  • Why is there a buoyant force? 
  • What determines whether objects float or not?