How to Calculate Water Pressure on a Floating Cube?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating water pressure on a floating wooden cube and determining the density of the wood. The original poster presents a scenario involving a cube with specific dimensions and its position in water, seeking assistance in starting the calculations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore how to determine the depth of the cube submerged in water and question the implications of hydrostatic pressure at that depth. There is an emphasis on understanding the relationship between depth and pressure.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants confirming the depth of the cube and discussing the principles of hydrostatic pressure. Guidance has been provided regarding the independence of pressure calculations from horizontal positioning beneath the cube.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of the problem as presented, including the dimensions of the cube and the properties of fresh water. There is an ongoing exploration of the assumptions related to pressure calculations.

Molly1235
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"A cube of wood of side 4cm floats in fresh water with 1:4 showing above the surface.
Calculate a) the water pressure on the base of the cube and b) the density of the wood"

All I can work out is that the density of fresh water is 1000kgm^-3 and the area of the base is 1.6 x 10^-5 m.

Please can someone help?? I don't know where to start...
 
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How deep (below surface) is the bottom of the cube?
 
nasu said:
How deep (below surface) is the bottom of the cube?

3cm?
 
Right!

Remember that the hydrostatic water pressure strictly depends on the vertical, that is, it doesn't matter whether you calculate the pressure directly BENEATH the cube, or anywhere else along the horizontal line lying 3 cm below the surface.
 
OK, now calculate the pressure at this depth.
 

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