Module 4

Mechanical Properties of Matter

What this module is about

Matter is usually described as anything that occupies

space and has mass. It is made up of molecules. There are
basically four (4) states or phases of matter namely solid,
liquid, gas and plasma. Molecules that make up a solid
material usually have a specific crystalline structure like the
one shown in figure 1. This is the crystalline structure of ice.
Liquids, gases and plasma have different molecular
arrangements. Nonetheless, these molecules that make up
matter exert intermolecular forces on one another.

Fig 1. Crystalline Structure of Ice

In this module you will learn many things about Physics

particularly about the forces on matter. This module includes the following lessons:

 Lesson 1 - Elasticity: A Property of Solids

 Lesson 2 - Fluids
 Lesson 3 - Pressure in Fluids
 Lesson 4 - Archimedes’ Principle

Read, enjoy, and discover the secrets of Physics!

What you are expected to learn

At the end of the chapter, you should be able to:

1. describe completely the mechanical properties related to solids, liquids and

gases;
2. solve problems in hydrostatics; and
3. explain how the concepts of stress and strain, pressure and the Archimedes’
principle apply to air/or sea transport.

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 How to learn from this module
Here’s a simple guide for you in going about the module.

1. Read and follow the instructions very carefully.

2. Take the pretest. It is a simple multiple-choice test provided at the start to
determine how much you know about the content of this module.
3. Check your answers against the answer key provided at the last page of the
module.
4. Be very honest in taking the test so you know how much knowledge you already
have about the topic.
5. Read the different lessons about the earth, sun and moon.
6. Perform all the activities to help you have a better understanding of the topic.
7. Take the self-tests at the end of each lesson to determine how much you
remember about the lesson.
8. Finally, take the post-test at the end of this module.

Good luck and have fun!

What to do before (Pretest)

A. Direction: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write your answer on a separate
sheet of paper.

1. Density is described as
a. length divided by time.
b. mass times acceleration
c. length divided by volume
d. mass divided by volume

2. Which has more density, a lake full of water or a cup full of lake water?
a. the cup c. Both have the same density
b. the Lake d. Cannot be determined

3. Which has more density, a loaf of bread just after it comes out of the oven or the
same loaf of bread that has been squeezed into a small volume?
a. the fresh loaf
b. the squeezed loaf
c. They both have the same density.

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4. Which of the following is made of an inelastic material?
a. a bow
b. a spring
c. a tennis ball
d. a piece of cookie dough

5. What is the reason why an I-beam is nearly as strong as a solid bar?

a. The I-beam weighs less.
b. An “I” is a really strong shape.
c. Objects are placed on top of the beam.
d. The stress is predominantly at the top and the bottom parts.

6. Pressure in a liquid depends on the ____________

a. density of the liquid.
b. volume of the liquid.
c. mass of the liquid.
d. amount of the liquid.

7. Archimedes’ principle states that an object is buoyed up by a force that is equal to

____________.
a. the mass of the object.
b. the mass of the fluid displaced.
c. the weight of the fluid displaced.
d. the volume of the fluid displaced.

8. Suppose a stone weighs 3 N in the air, but in water it weighs only 2 N. What is the
buoyant force acting on the stone?
a. 5N c. 2N
b. 3N d. 1N

9. If an object has a density greater than the density of water, it will ____________
a. float
b. sink
c. neither float nor sink, but stay anywhere it is put.
d. need more information to say.

10. Pascal’s principle says that changes in pressure at many points in an enclosed fluid
__________.
a. are transmitted to all points in the fluid.
b. quickly diminish from point to point in the fluid.
c. remain only at the point.
d. are transmitted only to points below it.

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11. The main difference between gases and liquids is that in a gas ____________
a. molecules move faster.
b. forces between molecules are larger.
c. distances between molecules are larger.
d. All of the above.

12. Which of the following is the proper unit for pressure?

a. joule
b. newton
c. pascal
d. watt

13. Atmospheric pressure at sea level is about ___________.

a. 100 kP c. 100 P
b. 20 kP d. 10 P

14. At the top of a barometer there is a space that is filled with ____________
a. air c. water vapor
b. helium d. dense mercury

15. An aneroid barometer is an instrument used to measure _____________.

a. liquid pressure c. atmospheric pressure
b. well pressure d. none of the above.

B. Direction: Write “True” if the statement is true and “False” if the statement is
false. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

1. The density of an object is its mass divided by its volume.

2. Elasticity is the property of an object that allows it to return to its original shape when
deformed.
3. The stretch of a spring is inversely proportional to the applied force.
4. Pressure in a liquid depends on the direction the pressure gauge is pointing.
5. The buoyant force on a submerged rock is equal to its weight in the water.
6. An object will sink in water if its density is greater than the density of water.
7. The weight of fluid a floating object displaces is equal to the weight of the object.
8. Pressure in a fluid is inversely proportional to the depth at which the pressure
measurement is taken.
9. A fish moves up or down in water by changing its density.
10. The buoyant force on a submerged rock depends on the weight of the rock.

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Lesson 1 Elasticity: A Property of Solids

Did you know that elasticity is one of the

properties of a solid? It determines whether a
material will return to its original size and shape after
the force exerted on the object is removed. Spring,
bow, rubber band and steel are some examples of
highly elastic materials. In reality, all materials are
Elastic Materials elastic. However, these materials differ in the degree
of elasticity. A wooden stick easily breaks when a
large force is exerted on it. On the other hand, steel
usually bends when a large force is exerted on it.
This means that steel is more elastic than wood.
Those materials that tend to break or be distorted
permanently when subjected to a force are known as
Inelastic Materials
inelastic materials. Examples of such materials are
putty, clay and dough.

Fig 1.1 Elastic and Inelastic materials

What you will do

Activity 1.1 Force vs. Elongation

Objective: To be able to relate restoring force and displacement.

Materials: Ruler, 20 pieces of P1.00 coin, plastic cup, spring

Procedure:
1. Hang the spring on a nail placed on the wall of your house.
2. Hang the plastic cup at the bottom of the spring.
3. Determine the original length (Lo) of the spring using the ruler.
4. Place 5 pieces of P1 coins on the plastic cup.

Determine the new length of the spring. Record the result on the table
provided.
5. Place another 5 pieces of P1 coins on the plastic cup. Determine the
new length of the spring. Record the result on the table provided.
6. Repeat step 5 until all the 20-pieces P1 coins are inside the cup.

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Data and Results

Lo = ______________

New Length Elongation

Number of Coins
L (cm) L (cm)
5
10
15
20

Guide Questions

1. What happens to the length of the spring as more P1.00 coins are placed on the
cup?
2. What quantity is represented by the weight of the P1.00 coins?
3. How would you relate this quantity to the change in length of the spring?

Robert Hooke, a British physicist did come up with the same

relationship between force and elongation as you did. As the force
or the load on the spring is increased, the elongation is also
increased. Further, he stated that since the weight of the load (F)
corresponds to the restoring force of the spring, then the restoring
force (Fr) is directly proportional to the elongation (x), which is
popularly known as Hooke’s law. In symbols,
Fig.1.3 Robert Hooke
F = -Fr
Fr ~ x

If we determine the ratio of Fr and x, then

-Fr/x = k

Fr = -kx (Hooke’s Law)

or Fr = -kx

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 Hooke’s law states, “The amount of stretch or compression, x, is directly proportional
to the applied force F. If an elastic material is stretched or compressed beyond a certain
amount, it will not return to its original state. Instead, it will remain distorted. The distance
beyond which permanent distortion occurs is called elastic limit. Hooke’s law holds true as
long as the force does not stretch or compress the material beyond its elastic limit.

Take a look at figure 1.4. The weight of the load

represents the force exerted on a unit area of the spring.
The ratio of the force and the unit area is known as
stress. In equation,

W Tensile Stress = Stretching Force/Area

Fig. 1.4. A load on a spring

If the spring is being compressed then the stress is specifically called compressive
stress,

Compressive Stress= Compressive Force/Area

In both cases, stress caused by the elongation or compression on the spring is

collectively called change in length of the spring. The ratio of the change in length of the
spring and its original length is known as strain. In equation,

Strain = L/Lo

where: L = change in length or elongation

Lo = original length

The ratio of stress and strain is a constant for every material known as Young’s
modulus of elasticity. In equation,

Y (Young’s Modulus of Elasticity) = Stress/Strain

The Young’s modulus of elasticity is a constant for every material. It determines if the
material is highly elastic or not. Large values of Y means that the material is highly elastic
and is capable of withstanding greater load as compared to materials of small Y.

7
 What you will do
Self-Test 1.1

Bridges are usually made up of cement, rocks and iron or steel. Why do engineers
prefer to use iron or steel with concrete in building bridges rather than pure concrete alone?

If you were an engineer, which would you

prefer to use in building bridges and other
buildings: a solid beam or an I-beam of the same
dimensions and size?

Take a look at a load placed on top of a solid

beam on which the two ends of the beam is
Solid Beam supported as shown in figure 1.5. As you can see
the solid beam is compressed at the top while it is
being stretched at the bottom. You will notice that
the middle portion of the beam is a neutral layer.
This means that the middle portion can be of
smaller dimension as compared to the top and the
bottom parts of the beam. This, in turn, makes an
I-beam. Most of the materials in these I-beams are
concentrated in the top and bottom parts or
flanges. The piece joining the bars, called the
I-Beam web, is of thinner solid beams because of the fact
that stress is predominantly in the top and the
Fig. 1.5. Elastic and Inelastic Materials
bottom flanges when the beam is used horizontally
in construction. One flange tends to be stretched
while the other tends to be compressed. The web
between the top and the bottom flanges is a stress-free region that acts principally to
connect the top bottom flanges together. This is the neutral layer, where comparatively little
material is needed. An I-beam is nearly as strong as if it were a solid bar, and its weight is
considerably less.

8
 Lesson 2 Fluids

Our body is filled with a lot of fluids. A fluid is any

substance that cannot maintain its own shape; in other
words, they have the ability to flow. Liquids and gases
have the ability to flow thus, they are called fluids. In our
bodies, blood and water are examples of fluids. Blood is a
liquid tissue consisting of two parts: the plasma, which is
the intercellular fluid, and the cells, which are suspended
in the plasma. Plasma is about 90% water, 9% protein
and 0.9% salts, sugar and traces of other materials. They
are usually responsible in transporting nutrients to the
different parts of the body.

Fluids, like solids, have different properties. Density is one of the most familiar
properties of fluids. How would you know if a material or another fluid like oil could float in
water or not? One possible property of fluid that we can use to answer our question is
Fig. 2.1. The Human
Body density. Density is usually thought of as the “lightness” or ‘heaviness” of materials having
the same volume. Quantitatively, it is described as the ratio of the mass and the volume
of a material. In symbols;

m
ρ= v

where:
(rho) ρ = density
m = mass
v = volume

The mass is either expressed in grams or kilograms while volume is expressed in

cubic centimeters (cm3) or cubic meters (m 3). Thus, density of a material is expressed in
g/cm3 or kg/m3. Saline solution used in the hospital has about 1.06 g/cm 3 density which is
greater than the density of water (1.00 g/cm3).

9
 What you will do
Activity 2.1 Density and Flotation

Objective: To relate the density of the material with water and its ability to float in
water.

Materials: glass jars (3), 0.5 L water, 0.5 L cooking oil, ice, and small piece of iron.

Procedure:

1. Place the ice cubes in the glass of water. Observe what happens. Tick
on the appropriate box on the given table.

2. Place a small piece of iron in the glass of water. Observe what happens.

Data and Results

Density of water = 1.0 g/cm3

Material/Substanc Floats on Sinks on

Density
e Water Water
Ice cubes 0.92 g/cm3
Small piece of iron 7.80 g/cm3
Cooking oil 0.90 g/cm3

Guide Questions:

1. Does the ice cube float or sink in water?

2. Compare the density of ice and the density of water.
3. Does the piece of iron float or sink in water?
4. Compare the density of iron and the density of water.
5. Does the cooking oil float or sink in water?
6. Compare the density of cooking oil and the density of water.
7. How would the density of the given material or substance be used in determining
whether the substance or the material could float or sink in water?

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 Objects with greater density than the density of water tend to sink. Mercury has
13.6 g/cm3 thus, mercury sinks in water. Objects with lesser density than water tends to
float e.g. oil, with a density of about 0.9 g/cm 3. Materials with density equal to the density of
water tend to be submerged. Submarine is one example of a material with the same density
as that of water.

Here are the densities of some materials

Materials ρ ρ
(g/cm3) (kg/m3)

Liquids
Mercury 13.6 13,600
Glycerin 1.26 1,260
Seawater 1.03 1,025
Water at 4oC 1.00 1,000
Benzene 0.9 899
Ethyl Alcohol 0.81 806

Solids
Osmium 22.5 22,480
Platinum 21.5 21,450
Gold 19.3 19,320
Uranium 19.0 19,050
Lead 11.3 11,344
Silver 10.5 10,500
Copper 8.9 8,920
Brass 8.6 8,560
Iron 7.8 7,800
Tin 7.3 7,280
Aluminum 2.7 2,702
Ice 0.92 917

Gases (atmospheric pressure at sea level)

Dry air
0 oC 0.00129 1.29
o
10 C 0.00125 1.25
20oC 0.00121 1.21
30oC 0.00116 1.16

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 A quantity known as weight density is also commonly used. It is the ratio of the
weight of the object and its volume. In symbols;

w
ρweight = v

where:
ρweight = weight density
w = weight = mg = (mass x 9.8 m/s2)
v = volume

Specific gravity of a substance is related to the concept of density. It is defined as

the ratio of the density of the substance to the density of water at 4 oC. In symbols;

ρ material
s . g=
ρwater
where:
sg = specific gravity
ρmaterial = density of a material
ρwater = density of water at 4oC

Specific gravity is a pure number. This means that there are no units
for specific gravity. In other sources, specific gravity is termed as relative
density. The specific gravity of water is 1. If the specific gravity of the
substance is greater than 1, the substance will sink. If the specific gravity of
the substance is less than 1, the substance will float. If the specific gravity of
the substance is equal to 1 then the object is submerged.
Fig. 2.2. Hydrometer

Hydrometer is an instrument that measures density of liquid. It is a sealed tube with

a narrow part at one end and some very dense material such as lead at the other end. If
made correctly, such a tube floats "vertically" so that the narrow part sticks out of the liquid
while the heavy end sinks. The narrow part is calibrated for density. The hydrometer floats
higher in liquids of higher density and lower in liquids of lower density.

12
 What you will do
Self-Test 2.1

Oops! Before you go on, try this one!

1. Which of the following statements is not correct?

a. Matter is composed of tiny particles called molecules.
b. These molecules are in constant motion.
c. All molecules have the same size and mass.
d. The differences between the solid, liquid, and gaseous states can be attributed
to the relative freedom of motion of their respective molecules.

2. In order for an object to sink when placed in water, its specific gravity must be
________.
a. less than 1
b. equal to 1
c. more than 1
d. any of the above, depending on the shape.

3. The density of fresh water is 1.00 g/cm3 and that of seawater is 1.03 g/cm3. A ship will
float __________.
a. higher in fresh water than in seawater
b. at the same level in fresh water and in sea water
c. lower in fresh water than in sea water
d. any of the above, depending on the shape of the hull

4. Which of the following materials will tend to float in oil?

a. Water
b. Iron
c. Mercury
d. Ethel Alcohol

5. Which of the following will sink in Mercury?

a. Brass
b. Gold
c. Ice
d. Iron

13
Lesson 3 Pressure in a Fluid

Take a look at the book lying on top of the table.

The book exerts a force on the table equal to its weight.
This force is exerted perpendicular to the surface area on
which the book lies. The ratio of this perpendicular force
and the surface area is called pressure. In symbols;
W F
P= A
Fig 3.1. Book on top of the
table

where:
P = pressure exerted by the book on the table
F = force exerted by the book
A = surface area

Since force is expressed in newton (N) and surface area is expressed in square
meters (m2), pressure is then expressed as N/m 2. One N/m2 is equivalent to 1 pascal (Pa).
This is in honor of Blaise Pascal who discovered the Pascal’s Principle. Pressure can also
be expressed in other units such as torr, mm of Hg, atm or millibars. Atmospheric pressure
is usually expressed in millibars.

Now, take a close look at the cylindrical

container filled with liquid. The weight of the liquid
itself exerts a force on the bottom of the cylinder.
This force results to a pressure on the bottom of
the cylinder. Since pressure is defined as the ratio
of the force and the surface area, thus;

F
Fig 3.2. Cylindrical
container with liquid P= A

Since the force applied on the bottom of the cylinder is equal to the weight of the
liquid, then

W
P= A

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 but
W = mg
thus
mg
P= A
but
m
ρ= v
m = ρv
thus
ρVg
P= A
but
v=Axh

ρ Ahg
P= A

P = ρgh

where:
P = pressure
ρ = density of fluid
g = 9.8 m/s2
h = altitude/depth

This means that pressure exerted by fluids only depends

on the density of the fluid, acceleration due to gravity of
the place and altitude (for gasses) or depth (for liquid).
Pressure in fluids is independent of the amount of fluid.
Thus, separate containers of different sizes, holding identical
liquids of uniform density, have equal pressure at equal
depths. Even cross-sectional area doesn’t account for the
pressure exerted by the fluid. Thin containers experience the
same pressure at the bottom as wide containers as long as
they contain the same liquid of the same depth. Thus, when
liquid is poured into a transparent tube, liquid on both sides
Fig 3.3 Containers of different would always be of the same depth to attain equal
cross-section
pressures. That’s why carpenters tend to say, “Water
seeks its own level”. When measuring depths carpenters
often use this concept of pressure.

15
 What you will do
Activity 3.1 Fluid Pressure

Objective: To be able to relate the depth of the liquid and fluid pressure.

Materials:   used plastic cup, nail, candle, match, water, ruler

Procedure:

1. Heat the pointed part of the nail in the candle flame.

2. Use the heated pointed part of the nail to make tiny holes on one side of
the plastic cup.

Data and Results

Hole # Depth (cm) Observation

1
2
3

Guide Questions

1. On which hole did you observe the fastest flow of water?

2. On which hole did you observe the slowest flow of water?
3. Which hole experiences the greatest fluid pressure?
4. How would you relate fluid pressure and the depth of the fluid?

16
Sample Problem

A nurse administers medication in a glucose solution to a patient by infusion into a

vein in the patient’s arm. The density of the solution is 1.0 x 10 3 kg/m3. The gauge pressure
inside the vein is 2.4 x 10 3 Pa. How high above the insertion point must the container be
hung so that there is sufficient pressure to force the fluid into the patient?

Solution:
Given: ρ = 1 x 103 kg/m3
P = 2.4 x 103 Pa
g = 9.8 m/s2
Required: h = ?
Solution:
P = ρgh
P
h = pg
3
2. 4 x 10 Pa
3 3 2
h = (1 x 10 kg /m )(9 .8 m/s )

h = 0.24 m
h = 24 cm

What you will do

Self-Test 3.1

Oops! Before you go on, try this one!

1. How does pressure differ from force?

2. What is the relationship between liquid pressure and depth of the liquid?
3. If a diver swims twice as deep in the water, how much more water pressure is
exerted on her/his ears?
4. If a diver swims in salt water, will the pressure at the same depth be greater than
in freshwater?

17
Pascal’s Principle

Did you know that Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician,

discovered the Pascal’s principle during his time (1623-1662)? He
said, “Changes in pressure at any point in an enclosed
container at rest is transmitted undiminished to all points in
the fluid and act in all directions. Due to his discovery, the SI
unit of pressure was named after him. For example, if the pressure
of city water is increased at the pumping station by 5 units of
pressure, the pressure everywhere in the pipes of the connected
Fig 3.5 Blaise Pascal system will be increased by 5 units of pressure provided that the
water is at rest.

Usually, a device known as hydraulic jack employs the Pascal’s

principle. It works just like a U-tube shown in the figure. The left
side of the tube has a smaller area than the right side of the tube.
In the figure, the piston on the left has an area of one square
centimeter and the piston on the right has an area fifty times as
great, in this case, 50 square centimeters.
Fig 3.6 Hydraulic jack

If there is one newton (1 N) load

on the left piston then an additional
pressure of one newton (! N) per square
centimeter (N/cm2) is transmitted
throughout the liquid and up against the
larger piston. This means that 1 N/cm 2 is
exerted against every square centimeter.
Since there are 50 square centimeters,
the total extra force exerted on the larger
Figure 3.7 U-tube piston is 50 N. Thus, the larger piston
will support a 50-Newton load. This is fifty times the load on the
smaller piston! This means that we can multiply the force with such
a devise.

Blood Pressure

Every time you go to a clinic for medical check-up, one of the nurses measures your
blood pressure. A cuff is wrapped around your arm, and then the cuff is inflated until it is
tight. Then, the nurse listens through a stethoscope held to your arm while letting the cuff
slowly deflate.

The two very significant pressures in the heart’s action are the systolic pressure,
when the beat is contracted, and the diastolic pressure, when the heart is relaxed between

18
beats. Normal heart action causes arterial blood pressure to oscillate between these two
valves.

The most direct way of measuring blood pressure is to insert a fluid-filled tube into the
artery and connect it to the pressure gauge. This is sometimes done but it is neither
comfortable nor convenient. The commonly used indirect method involves a device called
sphygmomanometer. A non-elastic cuff that has an inflatable bag within it is placed around
the upper arm, at the same level as the heart so as to measure the same pressure. When
the cuff is inflated, the tissue in the arm is compressed; if sufficient pressure is applied, the
flow of arterial blood in the arm stops. If the cuff is long enough and if it is applied smugly,
the pressure in the tissues in the arm is the same as the pressure in the artery. In effect,
Pascal’s principle holds for the system composed of the cuff, arm and artery.

After the blood flow has been cut off, the pressure in the cuff is reduced by releasing
some of the air. At some point, the maximum arterial pressure slightly exceeds the pressure
in the surrounding tissue and cuff, allowing the blood to resume flowing. The acceleration of
the blood through the arteries gives rise to a characteristic sound, which can be identified by
means of a stethoscope. When this sound occurs, the manometer indicates the maximum,
or systolic pressure. As the pressure in the cuff falls further, a second change in the sound
is heard which is characteristics of the drop below diastolic pressure. The two pressures are
reported such as 100 over 75, which corresponds to the blood pressure of a healthy person.

Lesson 4 Archimedes Principle

Can you carry the person in the figure while standing? Can
you carry him while in a swimming pool? Usually we tend to carry a
load easier in water than in air. This apparent loss of weight if
submerged is known as buoyancy.

The liquid tends to exert an upward force for objects

submerged or objects located underwater.
This upward force exerted by the liquid on
the submerged object is called buoyant
force, which is a consequence of
increasing pressure with depths.
Fig 4.1 Fat Man

19
 Take a look at the load submerged in water. At greater
depth, there exists a large pressure of the liquid on the load. This
results to a large upward force.

F
P= A

At the top of the load, lesser pressure is exerted by the

liquid on the load resulting to lesser
Fig 4.2 Submerged load downward force.

F
P= A

Thus, there exists an unbalanced upward and downward force, which results to a net
upward force by the liquid on the load. This net upward force is called buoyant Force. If the
weight of the submerged object is greater than the buoyant force, the object sinks. If the
object’s weight is equal to the buoyant force, the object remains at any level. If the buoyant
force, on the other hand, is greater than the weight of the object then the object floats on the
liquid.

Read this:
Archimedes, one of the greatest scientists (287-212 BC) was
given the task of determining whether a crown made for King Heiron
II was of pure gold or whether it was made of some cheaper metals.
Archimedes then knew the concept of density and if he could
compute for the density of the old crown, he could determine
whether the crown was made of pure gold or not But the crown was
an irregularly shaped object, thus, he had difficulty determining its
volume.

One day, his friends asked him to join them to have their bath
at the public bath tubs. At first, he was hesitant since he still had not

What Archimedes had discovered was a simple and accurate way of

finding the volume of an irregular object – the water
displacement method. When an object is immersed in
water, water is displaced by the immersed object. The
volume of the displaced water is equal to the volume of
the immersed object. Thus, Archimedes made use of the
displacement method to determine the volume of
Fig 4.3 Archimedes
the crown and calculate its density.

20
 Archimedes further studied on the concept of buoyancy. Later, he came up with the
relationship between buoyancy and displaced liquid. This is now known as the Archimedes’
Principle, which states that an immersed body is buoyed up by a force equal to the
weight of the fluid it displaces. This principle holds true of all fluids, both liquids and
gases.

B.F.
= Wair – Wwater

Take a look at the figure. The resultant force along the y-

axis;
ΣFy = F1 – F2 –
W

Since the liquid is in equilibrium,

ΣFy = 0
Fig 4.4 Object submerged

But

0 = F 1 – F2 – W

F1 – F2 =W
But
B.F. = F1 – F2
Thus
B.F. = W
But
W = mg
m = ρv
Thus
B.F. = ρvg
where:

B.F. = buoyant force

ρ = density of the fluid
v = volume of object/volume of displaced liquid
g = acceleration due to gravity

For example, if we immerse a sealed 1-liter container halfway into the water, it will
displace a half-liter of water. If we immerse it all the way (submerge it), it will be buoyed up
by the weight of a full liter of water (9.8 N). Unless we compress the completely
submerged container, the buoyant force will equal the weight of one liter of water at any
depth due to the fact that at any depth, the container will displace the same volume of water.
The weight of the displaced liquid is the buoyant force exerted by the water.

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 Another way of determining the buoyant force applied by the water is to take the
difference between the weight of the object in air and its weight in water. If a 300-gram
block weighs about 3 N in air while its weight in water is about 1 N, then the buoyant force is
3 N minus 1 N. This means that the buoyant force is about 2 N. This also means that the
block displaces an amount of water, which weighs about 2 N.

What you will do

Activity 4.1

Objectives: To verify Archimedes’ principle.

Materials: 2 pieces of cardboard, ten 5-peso coins, basin, water

Procedure:
1. Crumple the first piece of cardboard.
2. Make a container of 5-peso coin using the second piece of cardboard.
(Note: make sure that you can make something that holds as many 5-
peso coins as possible).
3. Place the crumpled cardboard and the container made of cardboard on a
basin of water. Observe what happens.
4. Place the 5-peso coins one at a time on the container made of
cardboard until before the container starts to sink. Observe.

Guide Questions:

1. Which among the two cardboards was able to float for a longer time in water?
2. Why do you think that the cardboard you have specified in question #1 was able
to float for a longer time in water?
3. Relate your answers to how ships made of metals and iron are made.

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 Hundreds of years ago, if you had said that you
were going to build a ship made of iron, everyone
would have laughed at you because everybody
knew that since iron was denser than water, it would
sink. Now we know that if we are going to re-shape
the iron to have a large volume (like a bowl) then
most probably that piece of iron will float.
Fig. 4.6 Block of iron and a ship
If the weight of the displaced water equals the
weight of the bowl then the bowl floats. This is because the buoyant force is now equal to
the weight of the bowl. This is known as the principle of flotation: A floating object
displaces a weight of fluid equal to its own weight.

Every ship must be designed to displace a weight of water equal to its own weight.
Thus, a 10 000-ton ship must be built wide enough to displace 10 000 tons of water before it
sinks too deep below the surface.

What you will do

Self-Test 4.1

Oops! Before you go on, try this one!

A.
1. A 1-L container, which is completely filled with mercury, has a mass of 13.6 kg
and weighs about 133.3 N. If it is submerged in water, what is the buoyant force
acting on it?
2. We know that if a sea creature such as a fish makes itself more dense (denser
than water) it will sink while if it makes itself less dense (less dense than water) it
will float or it will rise. In terms of buoyant force, why is this so?

B. Complete the following statements.

1. The volume of a submerged object is equal to the _________ of the liquid
displaced.
2. The weight of a floating object is equal to the _________ of the liquid displaced.

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 Let’s summarize!

1. Elasticity is one of the properties of a solid.

2. Elastic materials return to their original shape when a deforming force is applied and
removed, as long as they are not deformed beyond their elastic limit.

3. Hooke’s law states that the amount of stretch or compression is proportional to the
applied force (within the elastic limit)

4. Inelastic materials remain distorted after the force is removed.

5. Density is the ratio of mass and volume

m
ρ = v

6. Weight density is the ratio of the weight and volume

w
ρweight = v

7. Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a material to the density of water.

8. Pressure is the ratio of a force perpendicular to the surface area. It is expressed in

units such as Pa, atm, torr, mm of Hg, bar.

9. Fluid pressure depends on the density of the fluid, acceleration due to gravity and
depth.

P = ρgh
10. Pascal’s principle: The pressure applied at one point in an enclosed fluid is
transmitted undiminished to every point of the fluid and to the walls of the container.

11. Archimedes’ principle: A body, whether completely or partially submerged in a fluid, is

buoyed up by a force that is equal to the weight of the displaced liquid.

a. The principle of flotation: A floating object displaces a weight of fluid equal to

its own weight.

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 Posttest

A. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet.

1. When a solid block of material is cut in half, its density is ____________.

a. halved c. doubled
b. unchanged

2. Which has greater density, a lake full of water or a cup full of lake water?
a. The cup
b. The lake
c. Both have the same density

3. Compared to the density of a kilogram of feathers, the density of a kilogram of lead is

__________.
a. less c. the same
b. more

4. Water pressure on a submerged object is greatest against the ____________.

a. top of the object
b. bottom of the objects
c. sides of the object
d. Water pressure is the same against all surfaces of the object

5. The buoyant force on an object is least when the object is _____________.

a. partly submerged
b. submerged near the surface
c. submerged near the bottom
d. None of the above.

6. What is the most probable reason why a life jacket helps you float in water?
a. The jacket makes you weigh less.
b. The jacket has the same density as an average human.
c. The jacket repels water.
d. You and the jacket together have density less than your density alone.

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7. Lobsters live in the bottom of the ocean. The density of a lobster is _________.
a. greater than the density of the seawater
b. equal to the density of seawater
c. less than the density of seawater

8. The density of a submerged submarine is about the same as the density of

__________.
a. a crab c. a floating submarine
b. iron d. water

9. An egg is placed at the bottom of a bowl filled with water. Salt is slowly added to the
water until the egg rises and floats. From this experiment, one can conclude that
____________.
a. calcium in the eggshell is repelled by sodium chloride
b. the density of salt water exceeds the density of the egg
c. buoyant force do not always act upward
d. salt sinks to the bottom

10. Compared to an empty ship, the same ship loaded with Styrofoam will float
_________
a. higher in water
b. lower in water
c. at the same level
d. Need more information to say

11. When a boat sails from freshwater to seawater, the boat will float ___________.
a. lower in the seawater
b. higher in the seawater
c. at the same level

12. If the part of an iceberg that extends above the water were removed, the
__________.
a. iceberg would sink
b. buoyant force on the iceberg would decrease
c. density of the iceberg would change
d. pressure on the bottom of the iceberg would increase

13. When an ice cube in a glass of water melts, the water level ____________.
a. rises
b. falls
c. remains the same
d. Increase and then decrease

14. A floating ice cube in a glass of water contains a small piece of iron. After the ice
cube melts, the water level will ___________.
a. rise

26
 b. fall
c. remain unchanged
d. increase then decrease

15. An ice cube floating in a glass of water contains many air bubbles. When the ice
melts, the water level will ___________.
a. rise
b. fall
c. remain unchanged
d. increase and then decrease

4. Pascal principle states that changes in

pressure at any point in an enclosed
B. Write A if the statement is true and container which may be at rest or
write B if the statement is false. moving is transmitted undiminished to
all points in the fluid and acts in all
1. A barometer is used to measure water directions.
pressure. 5. Archimedes’ principle states that a
2. Density of liquids is determined using body, whether completely or partially
hydrometer. submerged in a fluid, is buoyed up by a
3. A fluid can either be a gas or a liquid. force that is equal to the weight of the
displaced liquid.

-End of Module-

References

Carter, Joseph. (1974).Physical science:a problem-solving approach. Massachusetts: Gin and Company.

Cohen, Michael. (1992). Discover science. Metro Manila: Academe Publishing House.

Halliday, D., Resnick, R. and Krane, K. (1994). Fundamentals of physics. Singapore: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Hewitt, P. (1989). Conceptual physics (6th Ed.) London: Scoot, Foresman and Company

Heuvelen, A. (1986). Physics: a general introduction (2nd Edition). Sta. Cruz, Manila: UNI-ED Inc.,

Jones, E. and Childers, R. (1999). Contemporary college physics. New York: Mc Craw-Hill Co.

Morales, M.P. (2000). WorkText in Physical Sciences. Manila: PNU Press.

Young, Hugh. D. (1996). University physics (9th Edition). NY : Addison-Wesley Pub. Co.

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