To determine the force required to keep a submerged rubber ball in equilibrium, one must consider the forces acting on it: the weight of the ball, the buoyant force from the water, and the force applied to maintain equilibrium. According to Newton's second law, these forces must balance out, leading to the equation where the sum of forces equals zero. Archimedes' principle states that the buoyant force equals the weight of the displaced water, which is crucial for this calculation. The weight of the ball and the buoyant force must be equal for the ball to remain just below the water's surface. Understanding these principles is essential for solving the problem accurately.