How to Calculate Buoyancy

Buoyancy is defined as the ability of an object to float, determined by the buoyant force (pressure pushing object upward and downward simultaneously) on said object.
SEE also: Archimedes Principle

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Calculator

1. Formula for Buoyant Mass m(b)

   m(b) = m(object) x (1- (p(fluid)/ p(object)))

   m(object)= true mass of the object
   p(object)= average density of the object
   p(fluid)= average density of the surrounding fluid

   If the fluid density is greater than the average density of the object, the object floats. If less, the object sinks.

2. Formula for Buoyant Force:

   F(buoyant) = -pVg

   p = density of the fluid
   V = volume of the object being submerged
   g = standard gravity on Earth (~ 9.81 N/kg)

3. Archimedes Principle: "When a solid body is partially or completely immersed in water, the apparent loss in weight will be equal to the weight of the displaced liquid."

   Formula for Density of immersed object relative to the density of the fluid object is immersed in:

   Relative Density = Weight / (Weight - Apparent Immersed Weight)