Name:

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VEDANGINIS BUOYANCY AND

STABILITY TEST
MYPD
Key words
Volume

Force

Distribution

Displacement

Stability

Surface Area

Specific Gravity

Density

Fluid

A.

1.
What is buoyancy?

B.

2.
What is Archimedes' principle?
(a) The density of the object is equal to the buoyant force
(b) The gravitational pull of the earth is equal to the buoyant force
(c) The weight of the object is equal to the buoyant force
(d) The weight of the displaced fluid is equal to the buoyant force

C.
3.

D.

How can you find the buoyant force?

4.
Table 1
Material
Wood (Oakwood)

Specific Gravity
0.75 (wikipedia,2015)

Iron
7.85
(engineeringtoolbox.com, 2015)
It is obvious that a wooden boat will float on water, as most wood has a specific
gravity less than 1. How does a large ship, containing heavy cargo, made of iron
manage to float despite its specific gravity of more than 7?

5.
You throw a heavy rock into the water and it sinks to the bottom. Why does it
sink?

E.

6.
What is the center of gravity?

7.

What is the center of buoyancy?

F.
8.

How could you find the center of gravity of a pen?

G.
9.

H.

(a) What happens to the position of center of gravity of a sitting kayak when
you stand in it (maybe to fish)?
i. Moves up
ii. Stays the same
iii. Moves down
(b) How does this affect its stability?
i. Increase
ii. Decrease
iii. stays the same
(c) With this information, why do you think the weight and engines are placed
closer to the bottom of a boat, instead of the top?

10.
Make this hull more stable:

BONUS QUESTION FOR IF YOURE DONE:

11.
You are sitting in a boat, and you're holding a rock. After you throw the rock in
the water, it sink to the bottom.
(a) What happens to the water level, does it
i. Rise
ii. Sink
iii. Stay the same?
(b) Why?