Hydrostatics

JEE MAINS & NEET

Archimedes Principle.
Accidentally Archimedes discovered that when a body is immersed partly or wholly in a fluid, in rest it is buoyed up
with a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the body. This principle is called Archimedes principle and is
a necessary consequence of the laws of fluid statics.
When a body is partly or wholly dipped in a fluid, the fluid exerts force on the body due to hydrostatic pressure. At
any small portion of the surface of the body, the force exerted by the fluid is perpendicular to the surface and is equal
to the pressure at that point multiplied by the area. The resultant of all these constant forces is called upthrust or
buoyancy.
To determine the magnitude and direction of this force consider a body immersed in a fluid of density  as shown in
fig. The forces on the vertical sides of the body will cancel each other. The top surface of the body will experience a
downward force.
h1
F1  AP1  A(h1g  P0 ) [As P  hg  P0 ]
F1
h2

While the lower face of the body will experience an upward force.
F2
F2  AP2  A(h2g  P0 )

As h2  h1, F2 will be greater than F1 , so the body will experience a net upward force
F  F2  F1  Ag(h2  h1)
If L is the vertical height of the body F  AgL  Vg [As V  AL  A(h2  h1 )] ]
i.e., F = Weight of fluid displaced by the body.
This force is called upthrust or buoyancy and acts vertically upwards (opposite to the weight of the body) through the
centre of gravity of displaced fluid (called centre of buoyancy). Though we have derived this result for a body fully
submerged in a fluid, it can be shown to hold good for partly submerged bodies or a body in more than one fluid also.
(1) Upthrust is independent of all factors of the body such as its mass, size, density etc. except the volume of
the body inside the fluid.
(2) Upthrust depends upon the nature of displaced fluid. This is why upthrust on a fully submerged body is more
in sea water than in fresh water because its density is more than fresh water.
(3) Apparent weight of the body of density (  ) when immersed in a liquid of density ( ) .
 
Apparent weight = Actual weight – Upthrust  W  Fup  Vg  Vg  V(   )g  Vg1  
  
 
 WAPP  W1  
 
(4) If a body of volume V is immersed in a liquid of density  then its weight reduces.
W1 = Weight of the body in air, W2 = Weight of the body in water
W1  W2
Then apparent (loss of weight) W1  W2  Vg  V 
g
densityof body Weightof body Weightof body
(5) Relative density of a body (R.D.)=  =
densityof water Weightof equal volume of water Water thrust
Weightof body Weightof body in air W1
 = =
Loss of weightin water Weightin air – weightin water W1  W2
(6) If the loss of weight of a body in water is 'a ' while in liquid is 'b'
 L Upthruston body in liquid Loss of weightin liquid a Wair  Wliquid
    
 W Upthruston body in water Loss of weightin water b Wair  Wwater

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 Hydrostatics
Floatation.
(1) Translatory equilibrium : When a body of density  and volume V is immersed in a liquid of density  , the forces
acting on the body are
Weight of body W  mg  Vg, acting vertically downwards through centre of gravity of the body.
Upthrust force = Vg acting vertically upwards through the centre of gravity of the displaced liquid i.e., centre
of buoyancy.
If density of body is greater than that If density of body is equal to that If density of body is lesser than that
of liquid    of liquid    of liquid   

Weight will be more than upthrust Weight will be equal to upthrust so Weight will be less than upthrust
so the body will sink the body will float fully submerged so the body will move upwards
and in equilibrium will float
in neutral equilibrium anywhere in
partially immersed in the liquid
the liquid. Such that, W  Vin g 
V g  Vin g
V  Vin Where Vin is the
volume of body in the liquid

Important points
(i) A body will float in liquid only and only if   
(ii) In case of floating as weight of body = upthrust
So WApp = Actual weight – upthrust = 0(iii) In case of floating Vg  Vin g

So the equilibrium of floating bodies is unaffected by variations in g though both thrust and weight depend on g.
(2) Rotatory Equilibrium : When a floating body is slightly tilted from equilibrium position, the centre of buoyancy B
shifts. The vertical line passing through the new centre of buoyancy B and initial vertical line meet at a point M called
meta-centre. If the meta-centre M is above the centre of gravity the couple due to forces at G (weight of body W)
and at B (upthrust) tends to bring the body back to its original position. So for rotational equilibrium of floating
body the meta-centre must always be higher than the centre of gravity of the body.

Th
M Th
G B' M W
G
G B
B B'
B W

(A) (B) (C)

However, if meta-centre goes below CG, the couple due to forces at G and B tends to topple the floating body.
That is why a wooden log cannot be made to float vertical in water or a boat is likely to capsize if the sitting
passengers stand on it. In these situations CG becomes higher than MC and so the body will topple if slightly
tilted.
(3) Application of floatation
(i) When a body floats then the weight of body = Upthrust
  
Vg  Ving  Vin    V  Vout  V  Vin  1   V
   
Vout   
i.e., Fraction of volume outside the liquid fout   1  
V  

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 Hydrostatics
Vin
(ii) For floatation V  Vin      fin
V
 A ( fin ) A
If two different bodies A and B are floating in the same liquid then 
 B ( fin )B
(iii) If the same body is made to float in different liquids of densities  A and  B respectively.
 A (Vin )B
V  (Vin ) A  A  (Vin )B  B  
 B (Vin ) A
(iv) If a platform of mass M and cross-section A is floating in a liquid of density  with its height h inside the liquid
Mg  hAg ......(i)
Now if a body of mass m is placed on it and the platform sinks by y then
(M  m)g  (y  h) Ag ......(ii)
Subtracting equation (i) and (ii), mg  A y g , i.e., W  y ......(iii)
So we can determine the weight of a body by placing it on a floating platform and noting the depression of the
platform in the liquid by it.

Some Conceptual Questions.

01. Why a small iron needle sinks in water while a large iron ship floats?
Ans. For floatation, the density of body must be lesser or equal to that of liquid. In case of iron needle, the density
of needle, i.e., iron is more than that of water, so it will sink. However, the density of a ship due to its large
volume is lesser than that of water, so it will float.
02. A man is sitting in a boat which is floating in a pond. If the man drinks some water from the pond, what
will happen to the level of water in the pond?
Ans. If the man drinks m g of water from the pond, the weight of (boat + man) system will increase by mg and so
the system will displace mg more water for floating. So due to removal of water from pond, the water level in
pond will fall but due to water displaced by the floating system the water level in the pond will rise and so the
water removed from the pond is equal to the water displaced by the system; the level of water in the pond will
remain unchanged.
03. A boy is carrying a fish in one hand and a bucket full of water in the other hand. He then places the fish in
the bucket thinking that in accordance with Archimedes' principle he is now carrying less weight as the
weight of the fish will reduce due to upthrust. Is he right
Ans. No, w+hen he places the fish in water in the bucket, no doubt the weight of fish is reduced due to upthrust, but
the weight of (water + bucket) system is increased by the same amount, so that the total weight carried by him
remains unchanged.
04. A bucket of water is suspended from a spring balance. Does the reading of balance change (a) when a piece
of stone suspended from a string is immersed in the water without touching the bucket? (b) when a piece
of iron or cork is put in the water in the bucket?
Ans. (a) Yes, the reading of the balance will increase but the increase in weight will be equal to the loss in weight of
the stone (Vg) and not the weight of stone (Vg)[ Vg as    ] .
(b) Yes, the reading of the balance will increase but the increase in weight will be equal to the weight of iron or
cork piece.
05. Why a soft plastic bag weighs the same when empty or when filled with air at atmospheric pressure?
Would the weight be the same if measured in vacuum
Ans. If the weight of empty bag is W0 and the volume of bag is V, when the bag is filled with air of density  at
NTP, its weights will increase by Vg . Now when the bag filled with air is weighed in air, the thrust of air
Vg will decrease its weight; so W  W0  Vg  Vg  W0
i.e., the weight of the bag remains unchanged when it is filled with air at NTP and weighed in air. However if
the bag is weighed in vacuum will be W0 when empty and (W0  Vg) when filled with air (as there is no
upthrust), i.e., in vacuum an air-filled bag will weigh more than an empty bag.

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 Hydrostatics
06. Why does a uniform wooden stick or log float horizontally? If enough iron is added to one end, it will float
vertically; explain this also.
Ans. When a wooden stick is made to float vertically, its rotational equilibrium will be unstable as its meta-centre
will be lower than its CG and with a slight tilt it will rotate
Th
under the action of the couple formed by thrust and weight Th

in the direction of tilt, till it becomes horizontal. G

G
B
However, due to loading at the bottom, the CG of the stick B
W
(or log) will be lowered and so may be lower than the meta- G G
centre. In this situation the equilibrium will be stable and if W
the stick (or log) is tilted, it will come back to its initial
vertical position.
07. A boat containing some pieces of material is floating in a pond. What will happen to the level of water in
the pond if on unloading the pieces in the pond, the piece (a) floats (b) sinks?
Ans. If M is the mass of boat and m of pieces in it, then initially as the system is floating M  m  VDW
M m
i.e., the system displaces water VD   ......(i)
W W
When the pieces are dropped in the pond, the boat will still float, so it displaces water M  V1W,
i.e, V1  (M / W)
(a) Now if the unloaded pieces floats in the pond, the water displaced by them m  V2W ,
i.e, V2  (m / W )
So the total water displaced by the boat and the floating pieces
M m
V1  V2   .....(ii)
W W
Which is same as the water displaced by the floating system initially (eqn. 1); so the level of water in the pond
will remain unchanged.
(b) Now if the unloaded pieces sink the water displaced by them will be equal to their own volume, i.e,
m  m
V2  as   V 
  
and so in this situation the total volume of water displaced by boat and sinking pieces will be
 M m
V1  V2     .....(iii)
 W  
Now as the pieces are sinking   W , so this volume will be lesser than initial water displaced by the floating
system (eq. 1); so the level of water in the pond will go down (or fall)
In this problem if the pieces (either sinking or floating) are unloaded on the ground, the water displaced after
unloading, V2  M / W , will be lesser than before unloading. V  (M  m) / W ; so the level of water in the pond
will fall.
08. A block of wood is floating on water at 0oC with a certain volume V outside the water-level. The
temperature of water is slowly raised from 0oC to 20oC. How will the volume V change with reise in
temperature?
Ans. As the block of wood is floating partially submerged, W = Vin g. Now as with rise in temperature, water
contracts from 0oC to 4oC (anomalous expansion) and then expands, the density of water will increase from 0oC
to 4oC and then will decrease. So to provide proper upthrust (= mg) for floating the volume Vin will decrease
from 0oC to 4oC and then will increase, i.e., V (volume of body outside water) will increase from 0 oC to 4oC and
then will decrease with further increase in temperature.

09. A ball floats on the surface of water in a container exposed to atmosphere. Will the ball remain immersed
at its initial depth or will it sink or rise somewhat if the container is shifted to moon.
Ans. We know that gravity on moon is about (1/6)th that on the earth. However, gravity has no effect on the
equilibrium of floating body (as weight and thrust both will change by same factor). Furthermore, moon has no

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 Hydrostatics
atmosphere while earth has. On earth the weight of the ball is balanced by upthrust from water and air, i.e., M
VA A
= VWW + VAA …(i) while on moon m  VW W …(ii) So that VW  W  , i.e., VW  VW i.e., the volume of
W
the ball in water at moon will be more than on the earth, i.e., the ball will sink a little more.

10. A piece of ice is floating in water. What will happen to the level of water when all ice melts? What will
happen if the beaker is filled not with water but with liquid (a) denser than water (b) lighter than water?
Ans. If M g ice is floating in a liquid of density L, then for its equilibrium weight of ice = thrust, i.e., Mg =
VDLg So the volume of liquid displaced by the floating ice, VD = (M/L) …(i) Now if M g ice melts completely,
water formed will have mass M g (as mass is conserved). Now if W is the density of water, the volume of water
formed will be VF = (M/W) …(ii) Here the liquid is water, i.e., L = W; so water displaced by floating ice is equal
to water formed by melting of whole ice and hence, the level of water will remain unchanged. Furthermore :

(a) If L > W, (M/L) < (M/W), i.e., VD < VF, i.e., water displaced by floating ice will be lesser than water formed
and so the level of liquid in the beaker will rise.

(b) If L < W, (M/L) > (M/W), i.e., VD > VF i.e., water displaced by floating ice will be more than water formed
and so the level of liquid in the beaker will fall.

11. A beaker exactly full of water has an ice piece floating in it. As the cube melts what happens to the water
level if (a) the cube contains an air bubble (b) the cube contains (i) a lead piece and (ii) a cork piece.
Ans. (a) If M g of ice containing an air bubble is floating in water. M = VDW, i.e., VD = (M/W) [As air bubble encloses
air which is weightless] Now when M g ice melts, water formed will be M g and it will occupy volume VF =
(M/W). As the volume of water formed by melting of ice is equal to the volume of water displaced by the
floating ice, the level of water in the beaker will remain unchanged.

(b) Let the mass of ice be M g and that of embedded piece m; then for floating Weight =upthrust, i.e., (M + m)
M m
= VDW So, the volume of water displaced by the system when floating VD   …(i) Now when ice
 W W
melts water formed will be M g and so the volume of water formed by melting of ice V 1 = (M/W) (i) If the ice
cube initially contains the lead piece then as Pb > W, it will sink when ice melts and so the water displaced by
it will be equal to its own volume, i.e., V2 = (m/Pb) [as  = m/V] So, finally total volume occupied by water
M m
formed by melting of ice and lead piece V1  V2   …(ii) Now as Pb > W, this volume will be lesser
W Pb
than initial by water displaced by the floating system [Eqn. (i)]; so the level of water in beaker will go down
as the ice melts if the ice contains a sinking impurity.

(ii) If the ice initially contains a cork piece, then as cork < W, the cork will float on water when ice melts. So the

water displaced by the floating cork piece will be m  V2W , i.e., V2   m / W  [and not its own volume

(m/cork)]. So, in this case water formed by melting of M g of ice and water displaced by floating cork,
M
V1  V2  …(iii) and as this is same as initial volume displaced by the floating system *Eqn. (i)], the level of
W
water in the beaker will remain unchanged.

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