Archimedes’s principle states that when a body is wholly or partially immersed in a liquid, it experiences an upthrust (apparent loss of mass – termed Buoyancy force (Bf)), equal to the mass of liquid displaced.
Consider a block of steel measuring 2 m X 2 m X 2 m that has a density of 7.84 t/m3.
If the block were to be suspended by a ship’s crane that has a very accurate load gauge, what mass would register on the gauge if the block were suspended over the ship’s side in air?
The block is suspended in air
Since: Mass = Volume × Density;
Mass of the block = (2m × 2m × 2m) × 7.84 t/m3 = 62.72 t
The crane driver now lowers the block so that it becomes half submerged in the dock water that has a density of 1.020 t/m3.