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Physicsdude13
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Homework Statement
The average density of the body of a fish is 1147.0 kg/m3. To keep from sinking, fish have an air bladder filled with air. If the density of air is 1.28 kg/m3, what percentage of a fish's body must be filled with air to be neutrally buoyant? (Note: Enter your percentage without a unit attached.)
Homework Equations
/rho avg = Total mass of object / Total volume of object
/rho avg = 1000 kg/m^3
The Attempt at a Solution
/rho avg = Mo / Vo (Total mass/ divided by total volume)
Mo = Ma + Mf (Ma= mass of air and Mf= mass of fish)
Ma= 1.28Va (density of air x volume of air)
Mf = 1147Vf (density of fish x volume of fish)
Now subsituting all the equations together I get...
/rho avg = 1000 = (1.28Va + 1147 (Vo-Va)) / Vo
and isolating for Va/ Vo = .128 x100% = 12.8 %
I also did this to get get Ma / Mo = 0.016% ... but neither answer is right :S. Can anyone tell me what I did wrong, or whether their answer is wrong? Its much appreciated thanks!