Density Upthrust Archimedes Principle and Floatation
Density Upthrust Archimedes Principle and Floatation
Density Upthrust Archimedes Principle and Floatation
mass
Density =
volume
Units: g/cm3 or kg/m3
Changing from g/cm3 to kg/m3
1
1g = 𝑘𝑔
1000
1 1 1 1
1cm = 3
𝑚𝑥 𝑚𝑥 𝑚 = 𝑚3
100 100 100 106
Example 1
Change 0.8gcm-3 to kgm-3
0.8𝑔 1 1 1 106
0.8gcm-3 = = 0.8 x ÷ = 0.8 x 𝑥 = 800𝑘𝑔𝑚−3
𝑐𝑚3 1000 106 1000 1
Mass
Mass is quantity of matter
Mathematically
𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
Relative density =
𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫
kg m−3
=
kg m−3
∴Relative density has no units.
Differences between relative density and density
Relative density Density
Is the ratio of density of substance to density of Is the mass per unit of volume
pure water
Relative density is the ratio of the mass of substance to mass of an equal volume of pure water.
Example 2
Calculate the relative density of a block having dimension 4m x 3m x 2m given its mass in 48000g
V= L x W x H
= 4m x 3m x 2m
= 24m3
48000kg
Mass = 48000g = = 48kg
1000
Mass 𝟒𝟖𝐤𝐠
Density = = =2kgm-3
Volume 𝟐𝟒𝐦𝟑
Density bottle
The density bottle always contains exactly the same volume when the liquid When the bottle is full and
the stopper is inserted, the excess liquid rises up through the hole levels is at the top of the hole.
Experiment to measure the relative density of a liquid by the use of density bottle
Procedure
- Determine the mass of clean dry density bottle (me)
- Determine the mass of density full of the liquid (mL)
- Determine the mass of the density bottle full of water (mw)
𝐌 −𝐌
Relative density = 𝐋 𝐞
𝐌𝐰 −𝐌𝐞
Upthrust
Upthrust is upward force experienced by a body immersed in a liquid
When any object is immersed or submerged into fluid it; weight appears to have been reduced because
it experiences an upthrust from the fluid,
Archimedes' principle
Archimedes principle states that when a body is wholly or partly submerged in a fluid the upthrust is
equal to the weight of fluid displaced.
i.e. upthrust = weight of displaced fluid.
Example 3
A glass block weighs 25N. When wholly immersed in water, the block appears to weigh 15N. Calculate the
upthrust.
Upthrust = Wa - Ws
= 25-15
= 10N
Example4
A metal weighs IN in air and 0.8N when totally immersed in water. Calculate the weight of displaced water.
Wa= 1N Ws =0.8 N
Weight of displaced water = Wa - Ws
= 1-0.8
= 0.2N
Flotation
When a stone is placed on water, it sinks because its weight, is greater than the upthrust.
When a cork is held below the surface of water, it rises on release. This is because the upthrust on the
cork is greater than its weight.
Law of floatation
The law of floatation states that a floating body displaces its own weight of the fluid it floats.
Example 5:
A wooden sphere of mass 6kg and volume 0.02m3 floats on water. Calculate the
(ii) fraction of the volume of the sphere that would be submerged if it floats in a liquid of density
800kgm-3.
6
Volume of wood submerged = volume of the fluid displaced = = 7.5 𝑥 10−3
800
7.5 𝑥 10−3 3
Fraction of wood submerged = =
0.02 8
Balloons
A balloon filled with hydrogen weighs less than the weight of air it displaces. The upthrust being greater
than its weight, a resultant upward force on the balloon causes it to rise.
Upthrust in air = weight of displaced air
1. Two solid tubes have the same mass, but their surface areas are in the ratio 16:1. What is the ratio of
their densities?
2. Liquid Y of volume 0.40m3 and density 900kgm-3 is mixed with liquid Z of volume 0.35m3 and density
900kgm-3. Calculate the density of the mixture
3. The following readings were recorded when measuring the density of a stone:
Mass of stone = 25g Volume of water = 25cm3, Volume of water and stone = 35cm3.
4. A price of material of mass 200 grams has a density of 25 kg/m3. Calculate its volume in m3 .
A. 200/25 B. 200/1000 x 25
7. A tin containing 6x103m3 of paint has a mass of 8kg. If the mass of the empty tin with the lid is 0.5kg,
calculate the density of the paint in kgm-3
8. A tin containing 5 litres of paint has a mass of 8.5kg. The mass of the empty tin is 2.0kg. The density of
the paint is
9. A rectangular block of tin is 0.5 m long and 0.01 m thick. Find the width of the block if its mass and
density are 0 .45 kg and 9000 kgm3 respectively.
0.005 𝑥 0.45 𝑥 9000 0.45 9000 𝑥0.5 𝑥 0.01 9000 𝑥 0.45
A. m B. C. D.
0.01 9000 𝑥0.5 𝑥 0.01 0.45 0.5 𝑥 0.01
10. A piece of metal of mass 120 g is placed in a 100 ml measuring cylinder containing 20 ml of water.
Find the density of the metal if the water level rises to the 50 mi mark.
A. 12 gcm-3.
B. 2.4 gcm-3.
D. 6.0 gcm-3..
11.
Figure 2 shows a block of wood of volume 40 cm3 floating in water with only half of its volume
submerged. If the density of water is 1000 kgm-3 , determine the mass of the wood under water.
A. 40 x 1000 kg.
B. 20 x 1000 kg,
C 40 x l0-6 x 500kg.
12. A hollow glass sphere of mass 60 g floats in water such that two-thirds of its volume is under water
of density 1g cm-3. Find the volume in cm of the sphere
13. Figure 8 shows a spring balance supporting a block being lowered into a beaker containing water.
When the block is immersed in water, the reading of the spring balance
A. reduces B. increases
4𝜋 𝑥 27 𝜋 𝑥 27 4 𝑥 106 4𝜋 𝑥 106 𝑥 3
A. B. C. D.
3𝑥 106 4 𝑥 10 27 𝑥 𝜋 27
16. A measuring cylinder of volume 39.25cm3 has a length of 0.5cm. Find its radius in c.
17. Find the density of rubber bung whose mass is 80g and volume 40cm3
18. The figure below shows a U tube containing mercury, a column of water of density 1000kgm-3, a
column of paraffin of density 800kgm-3. Find the length of water column if the length of paraffin is
15cm
19. A bottle has a mass of 1.3kg when filled with oil and mass of 0.9kg when half filled with the same oil.
If the volume of the bottle is 500cm3. Find the density of the oil in gcm-3.
Structured questions
(b) A glass block weighs 25N in air. When wholly immersed in water, the block weighs15N. Calculate
21. A solid of volume 10-4m3 floats in water (of density 103kgm-3) with 3/5 of its volume submerged
(b) If the solid floats in another liquid with 4/5 of its volume submerged. What is the density of the
liquid?
(b) A rubber balloon of mass 5x10-3kg is inflated with Hydrogen and held stationary by means of a
string. If the volume of the inflated balloon is 5x10-3m3, calculate the tension in the
string.(density of Hydrogen= 0.080kg/m3 , density of air= 1.150kg/m3)
(b) A balloon is filled with hydrogen and sealed. Explain what happens when the balloon is released
in air.
b) A cube of edge 0.1m floats in a liquid of density 1200kgm-3 with 1/3 of it submerged, find the
density of the material of the cube.
(b) A wooden sphere of mass 6kg and volume 0.02m3 floats on water. Calculate the
(iii) fraction of the volume of the sphere that would be submerged if it floats in a liquid of
density 800kgm-3.
(c) Explain why a cork stopper held below the surface of water rises when released.
1. Two solid tubes have the same mass, but their surface areas are in the ratio 16:1. What is the ratio of
their densities?
Solution
𝑥2 16
= => x = 4, y = 1
𝑦2 1
𝑚 𝑚 𝑦3 1 𝑥1 𝑥 1 1
Ratio of densities = ÷ = = =
𝑥3 𝑦3 𝑥3 4𝑥4𝑥4 64
2. Liquid Y of volume 0.40m3 and density 900kgm-3 is mixed with liquid Z of volume 0.35m3 and density
900kgm-3. Calculate the density of the mixture
Solution
3. The following readings were recorded when measuring the density of a stone:
Mass of stone = 25g Volume of water = 25cm3, Volume of water and stone = 35cm3.
4. A price of material of mass 200 grams has a density of 25 kg/m3. Calculate its volume in m3 .
A. 200/25 B. 200/1000 x 25
7. A tin containing 6x103m3 of paint has a mass of 8kg. If the mass of the empty tin with the lid is 0.5kg,
calculate the density of the paint in kgm-3
8. A tin containing 5 litres of paint has a mass of 8.5kg. The mass of the empty tin is 2.0kg. The density of
the paint is
9. A rectangular block of tin is 0.5 m long and 0.01 m thick. Find the width of the block if its mass and
density are 0 .45 kg and 9000 kgm3 respectively.
0.005 𝑥 0.45 𝑥 9000 0.45 9000 𝑥0.5 𝑥 0.01 9000 𝑥 0.45
A. m B. C. D.
0.01 9000 𝑥0.5 𝑥 0.01 0.45 0.5 𝑥 0.01
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 0.45
Density = = = 9000
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 0.5 𝑥 0.01 𝑥 𝑤
0.45
w=
0.5 𝑥 0.01 𝑥 9000
10. A piece of metal of mass 120 g is placed in a 100 ml measuring cylinder containing 20 ml of water.
Find the density of the metal if the water level rises to the 50 ml mark.
A. 12 gcm-3.
B. 2.4 gcm-3.
C 4.0 gcm-3.
D. 6.0 gcm-3
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 120 120
Density = = = = 4.0 gcm-3.
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 (50−20) 30
Figure above shows a block of wood of volume 40 cm3 floating in water with only half of its
volume submerged. If the density of water is 1000 kgm-3, determine the mass of the wood
under water.
A. 40 x 1000 kg.
B. 20 x 1000 kg,
C 40 x l0-6 x 500kg.
= 40 x l0-6 x 500kg.
12. A hollow glass sphere of mass 60 g floats in water such that two-thirds of its volume is under water
of density 1g cm-3. Find the volume in cm of the sphere
V = 90
When the block is immersed in water, the reading of the spring balance
A. reduces B. increases
14. A spherical ball has a radius of 3cm, find its volume in m3.
4𝜋 𝑥 27 𝜋 𝑥 27 4 𝑥 106 4𝜋 𝑥 106 𝑥 3
B. B. C. D.
3 𝑥 106 4 𝑥 10 27 𝑥 𝜋 27
Solution
4 3
Volume of a sphere = 𝜋𝑟 3 , r = 3cm = 𝑚
3 100
4 3 4𝜋 𝑥 27
Volume = = 𝜋 𝑥 ( )3 =
3 100 3 𝑥 106
16. A measuring cylinder of volume 39.25cm3 has a length of 0.5cm. Find its radius in c.
Volume = πr2h
𝑣 39.25
r=√ =√ =5
𝜋ℎ 𝜋 𝑥 0.5
18. The figure below shows a U tube containing mercury, a column of water of density 1000kgm-3, a
column of paraffin of density 800kgm-3. Find the length of water column if the length of paraffin is
15cm
h = 12cm
19. A bottle has a mass of 1.3kg when filled with oil and mass of 0.9kg when half filled with the same oil.
If the volume of the bottle is 500cm3. Find the density of the oil in gcm-3.
a = 500g
1300−500
∴ density = = 1.6
500
Structured questions
(b) A glass block weighs 25N in air. When wholly immersed in water, the block weighs15N. Calculate
25 – 15 = 10N
𝑤 10
Mass of water displaced = = = 1𝑘𝑔
𝑔 10
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 1
Volume of water displaced = volume of glass block = = = 0.001m3
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 1000
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 2.5
Density of glass block = = = 2.5 x 103kgm3
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 0.001
21. A solid of volume 10-4m3 floats in water (of density 103kgm-3) with 3/5 of its volume submerged
= volume x density
= 6 x 10-5 x 1000
= 0.06kg
(b) If the solid floats in another liquid with 4/5 of its volume submerged. What is the density of the
liquid?
4
Volume of the liquid displaced = 𝑥 10−4 𝑚3 = 8 x 10-5m3.
5
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 0.06
Density = = = 750kgm-3
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 8 𝑥 10−5
Archimedes principle states that when a body is wholly or partially submerged in a fluid, it
experiences an up thrust equal to the weight of the fluid displaced.
(b) A balloon is filled with hydrogen and sealed. Explain what happens when the balloon is released
in air.
It raises until it burst because as it raises the atmospheric pressure decreases leading to expansion of
the balloon until it bursts
The law of floatation states that a floating body displaces its own weight of the fluid it floats.
b) A cube of edge 0.1m floats in a liquid of density 1200kgm-3 with 1/3 of it submerged, find the
density of the material of the cube.
Volume of the cube = L3 = 0.13 = 10-3m3
10−3
Volume of the liquid submerged = 𝑚3
3
Mass of the material of cube = mass of liquid displaced
= volume x density
10−3
= 𝑥 1200
3
= 0.4kg
Archimedes principle states that when a body is wholly or partially submerged in a fluid, it
experiences an up thrust equal to the weight of the fluid displaced.
The law of floatation states that a floating body displaces its own weight of the fluid it floats.
(b) A wooden sphere of mass 6kg and volume 0.02m3 floats on water. Calculate the
(iii) fraction of the volume of the sphere that would be submerged if it floats in a liquid of density
800kgm-3.
6
Volume of wood submerged = volume of the fluid displaced = = 7.5 𝑥 10−3
800
7.5 𝑥 10−3 3
Fraction of wood submerged = =
0.02 8
(c) Explain why a cork stopper held below the surface of water rises when released.
- A glass tube closed at one end about 1m long is filled with mercury to the brim and inverted in
in a dish of mercury
- The height, h, of mercury in the vertical tube is measured
Atmospheric pressure = hρg (where ρ = density of mercury, g = acceleration due to gravity)
(b) A measuring cylinder is filled with water to 10cm3 mark. An irregular stone of mass 150g is fully
immersed into water and the new level of water become 175cm3, calculate the density of the
stone.
Solution
𝑚 150
Density = = = 2𝑔𝑐𝑚−3
𝑣 (175−100)