The cause of buoyancy in terms of the molecules

AI Thread Summary
Buoyancy is attributed to the increase in fluid density with depth, resulting in an object experiencing more pressure from fluid molecules below than above. The discussion highlights that the compressibility of the object affects its buoyancy, with water being significantly more compressible than metals like copper. While the initial hypothesis regarding density and pressure differences is acknowledged, there remains uncertainty about its completeness. The conversation emphasizes the need for further exploration of how material properties influence buoyancy. Overall, the relationship between density, pressure, and compressibility is crucial in understanding buoyancy.
TheLil'Turkey
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I think that buoyancy is caused by the increase of density with depth (the deeper you go, the more molecules there are per unit volume). Therefore an object in a fluid will be hit by more of the fluid molecules from below than from above (even if the difference is only a tiny fraction of 1%). Is this correct?
 
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Right, but the object is likely compressed more then water so the buoyancy of the object is decreased?
 
It depends what the object is made out of. I just looked up water and copper and water is an order of magnitude more compressible.

I still don't feel 100% convinced that my hypothesis in the OP is correct.
 
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