Hydrostatics: solving for density.

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
1 reply · 2K views
Lavabug
Messages
858
Reaction score
37

Homework Statement


A block of wood floats in water with 2/3 of its volume submerged. In oil, it does so with 9/10 of it submerged. Find the density of the block of wood and the oil in terms of water's density.


The Attempt at a Solution



Setting the equilibrium condition (net force = 0) I get:

[tex]\rho[/tex](wood) = 2/3 [tex]\rho[/tex](water)

then [tex]\rho[/tex](oil) = 10/9 [tex]\rho[/tex](wood) which is = 20/27 [tex]\rho[/tex](water)

So in increasing order of density, I've got: wood < oil < water.

Just wanted to check if this was correct, thanks.
 
Physics news on Phys.org