Saturn is diminished and can be put into a PURE water container

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a hypothetical scenario where Saturn is diminished to fit into a pure water container. Participants explore the implications of this scenario, particularly regarding Saturn's buoyancy and how much of it would be submerged in water, considering its density and gravitational effects.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that if Saturn were diminished, it could be immersed halfway due to its own gravity.
  • Another participant questions the clarity of the initial question, indicating confusion about the concept being presented.
  • Some participants propose that Saturn would float in water because of its low density, which is less than that of water.
  • There is a discussion about whether Saturn would be partially submerged if it were a rigid object with the same density as Saturn.
  • A participant points out that Saturn is not a rigid object and would fall apart in water, complicating the thought experiment.
  • One participant expresses frustration with the phrasing of "the Saturn," suggesting it should simply be referred to as "Saturn."
  • Another participant offers a clarification that if Saturn were to float, a portion of it would indeed be submerged, but emphasizes that this is a thought experiment and not practically feasible.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing interpretations of the initial question, leading to confusion. While some agree on Saturn's low density and its ability to float, others highlight the impracticality of the scenario and the nature of Saturn as a gas giant. No consensus is reached regarding the specifics of the thought experiment.

Contextual Notes

The discussion is limited by the hypothetical nature of the scenario and the assumptions about Saturn's physical properties when diminished. There are unresolved questions about the implications of gravity and the structural integrity of Saturn in this context.

lwymarie
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Now imagine the Saturn is diminished and can be put into a PURE water container ..

Then Is that the Saturn is immersed half of itself till the centre of the Saturn ?? (Since Saturn also has gravity itself )
 
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What?
.
.
.
 
do you mean Saturn's floating??
well if this is what u mean,
yes
because it has a high density
 
A_I_ said:
do you mean Saturn's floating??
well if this is what u mean,
yes
because it has a high density
No, Saturn has a low density - lower than water. If your bathtub were big enough, you could float Saturn in it.

But I don't know if that's what he/she's asking.
 
hmmm, i don't have a clue what he means but his use of 'the saturn' anoys me the most. just saturn please...
 
sorry AcEY, we don't all have the grasp of the english language that you seem to have...

lwymarie; maybe you could re-phrase your question.
 
sorry for my poor english..
what i mean is: Saturn floats on water. But does it immerse a small part in the water?
 
The question is hard to answer because your question is not clear.

If you shrink Saturn to fit in a container it will have little gravity so it would not affect things. Saturn is made out of gas and is not rigid so it would fall apart in your bathtub. For water to be liquid it needs to be at a high enough temperature to boil away your mini Saturn.

If you mean a rigid sphere with the same density as Saturn it would would on the water, with some part of it submerged.
 
thanks for correcting Dave, i just figured it out after i got back home..
hehe
 
  • #10
Saturn has an average density of about 0.69g/cm^3, which is only 7/10ths that of water. It would float with 3/10ths of its bulk above the water line.

This is, of course, a thought experiment. It can't be done - even in principle - since, as Bjorn points out, it is not a rigid object, but mostly a ball of gas with a dense core. The gravitational forces would intermingle.
 

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