INDEX

Sno Topic Pg no.

.
1 Introduction 2
2 Aim 3
3 Theory 4
4 Materials Required 6
5 Procedure 7
6 Observation 9
7 Result 10
8 Precautions 11
9 Conclusion 12
10 Bibliography 15

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 INTRODUCTION
I have long contemplated the reason behind a nail sinking in the sea while a
significantly heavier ship does not. The Archimedes principle did answer this
question for me.
Archimedes' principle states that the upward buoyant force that is exerted on a
body immersed in a fluid, whether fully or partially submerged, is equal to the
weight of the fluid that the body displaces and acts in the upward direction at
the center of mass of the displaced fluid.
Archimedes' principle is a law of physics fundamental to
fluid mechanics. It was formulated by Archimedes of
Syracuse.
Practically, Archimedes' principle allows the buoyancy of
an 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 its weight. If this net force is positive, the object rises; if
negative, the object sinks; and if zero, the object is neutrally buoyant - that is, it
remains in place without either rising or sinking.
In simple words, Archimedes' principle states that, when a body is
partially or completely immersed in a fluid, it experiences an
apparent loss in weight that is equal to the weight of the fluid
displaced by the immersed part of the body.

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 AIM
To establish the relationship between the loss in weight of a solid and weight of
water displaced when the solid is fully immersed in the following solutions:
1. Tap water
2. Strong salty water
This can be done by using at least two different solids in the experiment .

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 THEORY
When a metallic block is immersed in water (or any other liquid), four vertical
forces act upon the block below the surface of water.
These forces can be grouped into two types of forces.

1. Upward forces
a) The tension of the
spring, which 2. Downward forces
measures the apparent
weight. a) The weight of the
block.
b) The upward thrust due
to liquid present below b) The downward thrust
the lower surface of due to pressure of the
the block. This upward liquid on the upper
thrust is known as
surface of the block.
Buoyancy.

What happens to the weight of a body when immersed in

water?
The more a body is immersed in water, the more the weight of the body
decreases. The weight of the body is least when it is completely immersed in
water. This means that loss in weight of the body increases as it is completely
immersed in water.
When a body is partly or completely immersed in water (or any other liquid),
then:
Loss in weight of body = Weight of water (liquid) displaced by the body =
Buoyant force or upthrust exerted by water (any liquid) on the body.
It was Archimedes who first observed that bodies lose their weight when
immersed in water. He proposed a principle based on his observation that is now
known as the Archimedes' Principle.

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What does Archimedes' Principle state?
The principle states that: “A body immersed in a liquid loses weight by an
amount equal to the weight of the liquid displaced.”
Archimedes principle also states that: “When a body is immersed in a liquid, an
upward thrust, equal to the weight of the liquid displaced, acts on it.”
Thus, when a solid is fully immersed in a liquid, it loses weight which is equal
to the weight of the liquid it displaces.
The more the density of liquid in which the solid is immersed, the less is the
weight of the liquid displaced on immersing the solid.

Does an object float?

Some bodies, if dropped in water, sink, such as a stone or a metallic needle.
On the other hand, some bodies, even of the same weight as that of those that
sink, float on water. This can be proved through the Law of Flotation.
It states that – “A body will float if the weight of the body is equal to the
weight of the liquid displaced. If the weight of the immersed body is more
than the weight of the water displaced, the body will sink.”

MATERIALS REQUIRED
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6|Page
 PROCEDURE
We’ll first prepare the strong salty water:
Take 400 ml of tap water in a 500 ml beaker, add some common salt to it and
stir well. Go on adding salt to the water and dissolve it by stirring the solution
with a glass rod until some of the salt remains undissolved in the beaker. Decant
the strong (saturated) salty water and store for further use.
Now to start:
i. Hang a spring balance on an iron stand using a clamp.
ii. Note the least count of the spring balance.
iii. Take one of the solid blocks (S1) and weigh it by hanging it on the hook
of the spring balance using a thread. Find the weight of the solid in air
(Wa) and note it.
iv. Take two beakers (each of 250 ml) and mark them as A and B. Weigh
them on a balance separately and note down the mass of beaker A and B.
v. Take an overflow can and fill it with water to the brim of the outlet and
place beaker A below the overflow outlet of the can to collect the
displaced water. Now, start lowering the metallic block (S1), still attached
to the spring balance into the water of the overflow can.
(a) Experimental setup

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vi. Note the loss of weight of the metallic block as it gets completely
immersed in the water. Weigh beaker A which contains the displaced
water and note the mass. To find the mass of the water displaced, subtract
the initial mass of beaker A (without displaced water) from the present
mass of the beaker A (containing displaced water).

vii. Repeat the experiment using the metallic block S1 by completely

immersing it in the strong salty water in the overflow can. Note the loss
in weight S1 by immersing it in the strong salt solution. Find the mass of
the salt solution displaced and collected in the beaker.

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 OBSERVATIONS
Least count of the spring balance = 5 gf
Zero error in the spring balance = ± 0 gf

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 RESULT
Since density of tap water is 1g cm-3, the volume of water collected in the
measuring cylinder gives the mass of water displaced by the solid, when it is
completely immersed in water. It is found that this is equal to the difference in
weight of solid in air and in water i.e., the loss in weight of solid.

i.e., Loss in weight of solid (gf) = Weight of water displaced (gf) = Volume
of water displaced (cm³)

This is true in case of both the cases i.e., tap water and strongly salty water.
This verifies the Archimedes’ principle.

However, in case of strongly salted water, it is found that loss in weight of solid
is much more than the volume of salty water displaced. This indicates that
density of salty water is more than density of tap water.

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 PRECAUTIONS
1. The concave surface reading of liquid should be taken parallel to eye
from measuring cylinder.
2. The solid should not touch the sides or bottom of the cylinder.
3. The solid should be completely immersed in liquid.
4. While taking the reading of measuring cylinder, keep your eye in
horizontal plane with liquid level.

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 CONCLUSION
The curiosity found its explanation with this principle. The iron nail sinks in the
water because the weight of the water displaced by the nail is less than its own
weight, i.e., the density of the
iron nail is more than that of the
water. While constructing
ships, Archimedes’ principle is
followed, a large portion of the
ships are kept hollow from inside
that maintains their density less
than the water density, hence the
weight of the ship becomes less
than the weight of the water displaced by it, and the buoyant force of magnitude
equal to the displaced water exerts on the ship, and the ship floats on the surface
of the water.
Numerous instruments and materials are utilized in practical applications
without a comprehensive understanding of the underlying principle governing
their functionality. Here are a few applications of Archimedes’ principle.

SUBMARINES, too, operate on Archimedes’ principle. Submarines can be

submerged in water and float on the surface by retaining the densities of the
displaced water and submarine. These densities are maintained by the
submarine’s two main components, the compressed tank and the ballast tank.

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 A HYDROMETER is a device used to
determine the specific gravity or density of
liquids. It operates on Archimedes’ principle. It is
made up of a hollow glass tube with a bulb-
shaped wider bottom that is sealed on both ends.
The wider bottom serves as a ballast tank and is
usually filled with lead, while the liquid whose
density is being measured is poured into the
narrow tube with graduations.

BEACH BALLS are filled with air only,

so they have a very small weight, hence they do
not displace much water. Since they displace
less water, the buoyant force acting on them is
also very less, but when we try to push the ball
into the water, the buoyant force acting on it
increases, which does not let the beach ball sink
into the water, and it floats on the water surface.

HOT AIR BALLOONS work on this principle. The balloon

rises in the air when the weight of the air surrounding the balloon is
greater than its own weight, whereas if the weight of the balloon is
greater, it will start descending. When the weight of the surrounding
air and hot air balloon is equal, it becomes stationary. The density
between the air and the balloon is controlled by varying the amount
of hot air in the balloon.

Archimedes’ principle also comes into play when you are SWIMMING.
While we swim, the upward force, also called the buoyant force, acts on us. The
swimmer is able to float on the surface of the water as the pressure above the
swimmer is greater than the pressure from beneath as the density of the water is
greater than that of the air. It is commonly seen that it is easier to swim in
saltwater than freshwater because the buoyant force not only depends on the

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water displaced but also on the density of the fluid. As saltwater has a higher
density than freshwater, the buoyant force
acting on the body in saltwater will also be
higher as compared to freshwater (result
of the experiment performed), which is
why it is easier for the swimmers to swim in
the saltwater.

Thus, we can conclude that, Archimedes' principle is a timeless

concept born from the insightful mind of an ancient polymath, transcends the
confines of history and academia, making profound impacts on our everyday
lives. Its applications extend far beyond theoretical realms, finding practical use
in numerous day-to-day actions. From understanding why heavy ships float to
the engineering marvels enabling submarines to navigate underwater, this
principle forms the backbone of buoyancy-related technologies.
Moreover, in fields as diverse as manufacturing, medicine, and even
cooking, its influence is felt through the precise calibration of instruments, the
design of flotation devices, and the measurement of densities. As we navigate
our daily routines, Archimedes' principle quietly but significantly shapes the
world around us, demonstrating its enduring relevance and indispensable role in
our modern lives. Its legacy persists not merely in textbooks but in the very
fabric of our existence, illuminating the path toward innovation, discovery, and
a deeper comprehension of the physical world.
“Archimedes' principle, a fundamental concept, underlies numerous
fascinating applications that are widely employed in various fields.”

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
• Manual of Secondary Science Kit for Classes IX and X - Published by NCERT
Websites
• DETERMINATION OF DENSITY OF LIQUIDS & SOLIDS - mhchem.org

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