Upthrust & Floating: Confirm Position in Liquid

  • Context: High School 
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    Floating Upthrust
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of buoyancy, specifically the conditions under which an object remains submerged in a liquid without rising or sinking. Participants explore the relationship between upthrust (buoyant force) and weight, particularly in the context of achieving neutral buoyancy at varying depths in a liquid.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that if the upthrust acting on an object equals its weight, the object will float and remain at that position without rising to the surface.
  • Others argue that this condition leads to no net force acting on the object, aligning with Newton's laws of motion.
  • A later reply introduces the term "neutrally buoyant" to describe this state, noting the challenges in achieving it due to pressure changes affecting the object's density.
  • One participant mentions the role of a fish's swim bladder in maintaining neutral buoyancy by adjusting the volume of gas within it.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the concept of neutral buoyancy and its implications, but there are discussions about the practical challenges and conditions under which it can be achieved, indicating some unresolved aspects of the topic.

Contextual Notes

Challenges mentioned include the effects of pressure changes on the density of the object, which can complicate the maintenance of neutral buoyancy. Additionally, temperature variations may also impact buoyancy conditions.

Kaneki123
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OKay I just want to confirm...It is written everywhere that if , in a liquid, the upthrust acting on an object is equal to its weight, it will float...If we consider an object taken deep into a liquid, and somehow its weight becomes equal to the upthrust acting on it, then it would just stay at that position..right? Like it would keep its position and not rise to the surface of the liquid...
 
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Yes, that's the idea. Then there is no net force pushing upwards. Newton's law.
 
Thank you for your help...
 
Kaneki123 said:
OKay I just want to confirm...It is written everywhere that if , in a liquid, the upthrust acting on an object is equal to its weight, it will float...If we consider an object taken deep into a liquid, and somehow its weight becomes equal to the upthrust acting on it, then it would just stay at that position..right? Like it would keep its position and not rise to the surface of the liquid...

Correct. The term used is "neutrally buoyant".

It can sometimes be quite hard to achieve because if the object is displaced downwards slightly the increased pressure can compress the object making it more dense so it descends further. Likewise if it is displaced upwards the reduced pressure may cause it to expands making it less dense so it rises further. Temperature changes and also cause problems.

Divers sometimes find it difficult to achieve and their lives sometimes depend on it...

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/The_Ups_and_Downs_of_Buoyancy_Control
 
This is the purpose of a fish's swim bladder. They essentially fill a balloon to stay neutrally buoyant.
 

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