Floating and Sinking

Syllabus tag: KCSE | Physics | Form 4 | Topic 33 Floating and Sinking

Lesson objectives

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:

• Explain upthrust and its cause.
• State and apply Archimedes' principle.
• State and apply the law of flotation.
• Describe applications including ships, submarines, balloons and hydrometers.

Summary

Upthrust is the upward force a fluid exerts on an immersed body, caused by the greater pressure on its lower surface. Archimedes' principle states that the upthrust equals the weight of fluid displaced. The law of flotation states that a floating body displaces its own weight of fluid.