Why is the buoyant force equation different in accelerating vessels?

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SUMMARY

The buoyant force equation differs in accelerating vessels due to the increased fluid pressure acting on submerged objects. When a vessel accelerates upwards, the effective gravity becomes g + a, leading to the equation F(buoyant force) = Vp(g + a). This relationship arises because buoyancy is a real force resulting from pressure differences, which are altered by the vessel's acceleration. The discussion clarifies that buoyancy exists in both inertial and non-inertial frames of reference, confirming that the upward acceleration affects the pressure distribution in the fluid.

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  • Understanding of buoyancy and fluid mechanics
  • Knowledge of Newton's laws of motion
  • Familiarity with pressure variations in fluids
  • Concept of inertial versus non-inertial reference frames
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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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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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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.
 
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
 
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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