Understanding Buoyant Force: Exploring FBD and Equations in Accelerating Vessels

In summary: The pseudo force (mg) is not a real force. It is an artifact of your choice of frame of reference.In summary, the buoyant force acting on an object in a vessel with a liquid is equal to the product of the volume of the object, the effective gravity (which includes both actual gravity and any acceleration), and the density of the liquid. This is true even when considering the pseudo force in the accelerating frame of reference.
  • #1
AdityaDev
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If I have an object of mass m tied to the lower surface of a vessel having a liquid and the vessel accelerates upwards...
From FBD of object, Buoyant force acts upwards, mg down, pseudo force downwards (frame of reference is vessel) T down.
Here's the doubt. Why is F(buoyant force) = Vp(g+a) when I have already considered pseudo force?
Given in textbook: ##Vp(g+a)-mg-T=ma##
But when I take the vessel as the frame of reference,
Shouldn't this be the equation: ##Vpg-mg-T-ma=0##
They say ##F=Vpg1##
g1=effective gravity
 
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  • #2
AdityaDev said:
Here's the doubt. Why is F(buoyant force) = Vp(g+a) when I have already considered pseudo force?
Buoyant force is due to the pressure of the liquid acting on the object. When the vessel is accelerating, the fluid pressure actually increases.
 
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  • #3
To see this more clearly, consider just the vessel and liquid alone. (Leave out the object for now.) With no acceleration, how does the pressure vary with depth? Now give the vessel an upward acceleration and figure out the new relationship between pressure and depth.
 
  • #4
Doc Al said:
To see this more clearly, consider just the vessel and liquid alone. (Leave out the object for now.) With no acceleration, how does the pressure vary with depth? Now give the vessel an upward acceleration and figure out the new relationship between pressure and depth.
Il try
 
  • #5
To add to Doc Al's point, buoyancy is a real force. It is the name we use for the net force arising from the higher fluid pressure on the bottom surfaces of an object and the relatively lower fluid pressure on its top surfaces. Since it is a real force, it exists regardless of whether you adopt an inertial or an accelerating frame of reference.
 
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1. What is buoyant force and how does it work?

Buoyant force is the upward force exerted by a fluid on an object immersed in it. It is caused by the difference in pressure between the top and bottom of the object. This force is equal to the weight of the fluid that the object displaces.

2. How is buoyant force related to the concept of density?

Buoyant force is directly related to the density of the fluid and the immersed object. Objects with higher density than the fluid will sink, while objects with lower density will float. The greater the difference in density, the greater the buoyant force will be.

3. Can buoyant force change in an accelerating vessel?

Yes, buoyant force can change in an accelerating vessel. This is because the acceleration affects the pressure distribution in the fluid, which in turn affects the buoyant force. As the vessel accelerates, the pressure at the bottom of the object increases, resulting in a greater buoyant force.

4. What is the equation for calculating buoyant force?

The equation for calculating buoyant force is Fb = ρVg, where Fb is the buoyant force, ρ is the density of the fluid, V is the volume of the displaced fluid, and g is the acceleration due to gravity. This equation is known as Archimedes' principle.

5. How can we use free body diagrams to understand buoyant force in an accelerating vessel?

Free body diagrams can help us visualize the forces acting on an object in an accelerating vessel, including the buoyant force. By drawing arrows to represent the direction and magnitude of each force, we can see how the buoyant force changes with acceleration and how it relates to the weight and other forces acting on the object.

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