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Displacement and weight
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Rosalie B.
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wrote:
Maybe I've killed too many brain cells over the years or just forgotten
some basic stuff but my understanding of Archimedes Principle is that
the buoyant force on an object is equal to the weight of the fluid it
displaces. This means that my boat that weighs 8000 lbs must displace
8000 lbs of water in order to float. If she takes on 8000 lbs of
water, she sinks cuz the buoyant force doesnt balance the weight.
Right?
So, why do people make a distinction 'tween displacement and weight?
Because the boat displaces more water then it's weight due to its
larger surface area then a block of metal the same weight. So the
volume inside the boat is also important. Tonnage in some ships is a
measurement of space, NOT of weight.
grandma Rosalie
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