Floating an Upside Down Bucket: Water Displacement Explained

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the principles of water displacement, specifically regarding an upside-down 5-liter bucket. When the bucket is floated upside down, it traps 5 liters of air, creating buoyancy that prevents it from sinking. The weight required to sink the bucket is indeed greater than the weight of the 5 liters of water due to the buoyant force acting on the trapped air. The fundamental principle at play is Archimedes' principle, which states that the buoyant force is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the submerged part of the object.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Archimedes' principle
  • Basic knowledge of buoyancy and density
  • Familiarity with the concept of volume in liters
  • Ability to perform basic weight calculations
NEXT STEPS
  • Research Archimedes' principle in detail
  • Learn about buoyancy calculations for various shapes
  • Explore the relationship between air pressure and buoyancy
  • Investigate practical applications of water displacement in engineering
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for physics students, educators, and anyone interested in fluid mechanics or engineering principles related to buoyancy and water displacement.

mrmike
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hi, I am after some help from a person with a understanding of water displacement principles.
On a small scale- if an empty 5 LTR bucket is floated on a body of water, it will float, if the bucket is filled with water it sinks.
But if the empty bucket is place upside down, thus trapping a 5Ltr volume of air, the weight required to sink the bucket is more than the weight of the 5 Ltrs of water, is this true, and is there a formula for working out the volume of Air trapped and what weight is required to sink it?
 
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mrmike said:
But if the empty bucket is place upside down, thus trapping a 5Ltr volume of air, the weight required to sink the bucket is more than the weight of the 5 Ltrs of water, is this true, and is there a formula for working out the volume of Air trapped and what weight is required to sink it?
No, the force is equal to the weight of 5 litters of water.
 

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