What Force Keeps a Submerged Rubber Ball in Equilibrium?

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a rubber ball filled with air, specifically examining the forces acting on it when submerged just below the surface of water. The subject area relates to fluid mechanics and forces in equilibrium.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the forces acting on the ball, including weight and buoyant force, and question the relationship between these forces for equilibrium. There is an exploration of Newton's second law and Archimedes' principle.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants providing insights into the forces involved and questioning the completeness of the original poster's understanding. Some guidance has been offered regarding the forces that need to be considered for equilibrium.

Contextual Notes

There is mention of a discrepancy between the calculated answer and an answer sheet, indicating potential confusion or misinterpretation of the forces involved.

TheNextOne21
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Homework Statement


Rubber ball filled with air has a diamter of 25.0 cm and a mass of .540 kg. what force is required to hold the ball in equilibrium immediately below the surface of water?



Homework Equations


anyone want to help me out with an equation here?


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Hi there,

From Newton's second law of motion, an equilibrium is define as all the force acting on the object cancel each other. Written in an equation, it becomes:
\sum \vec{F} = 0

In your case, you can easily drop the vector form, since all the forces acting will be vertical:
\sum F = 0

You need to dfine which forces are acting on the ball.

By the way, whether the ball is keep just below the water' surface or in great depth, the force required will be the same.

Cheers
 
so the weight of the ball = the buoyant force necessary to keep the object in equilibrium?

if so the answer would be 5.4 which would be different from the answer sheet.
 
Hi there,

You seem to be missing one force acting on the ball. Archimede's principle says that an object immerge in a liquid is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.

Therefore, three forces act on the ball: the weight of the ball, the archimede's force, and the force you develop to keep the ball in equilibrium.

Cheers
 

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