- #1
Albertgauss
Gold Member
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Normally, an object with a high density will sink in a fluid with low density. What if, as depth increases, as in the case of the ocean, the pressure really gets cranked up -> Is it possible for a low-density, high-pressure fluid to float a high-density object, that, under normal conditions would sink in the low-density fluid?
The ocean is a perfect example. Though its density doesn't change much with depth, its pressure gets huge by the time you get to the bottom of the seafloor. At the the surface of the ocean, anything with more density than seawater sinks, but could such an increase in pressure cause a normally sinking object to float in deep ocean depths before it hits the sea floor? Can high pressure, alone, cause things to float? Or will, density always rule, no matter the pressure, in determining whether an object sinks or floats in any medium?
The ocean is a perfect example. Though its density doesn't change much with depth, its pressure gets huge by the time you get to the bottom of the seafloor. At the the surface of the ocean, anything with more density than seawater sinks, but could such an increase in pressure cause a normally sinking object to float in deep ocean depths before it hits the sea floor? Can high pressure, alone, cause things to float? Or will, density always rule, no matter the pressure, in determining whether an object sinks or floats in any medium?