How to Float on Water

Some people think that they can't float on water. The fact is that anyone can float on water, when they understand what floating is about. Read the following facts about what makes people and things float on water and how you can float too.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• your body
• a body of water
• a presence of mind
• confidence
• a few facts
• the ability to relax

1. 

   Virtually anyone or any thing will float on water, no matter how large or heavy. One factor is water tension and displacement. This is what we see in action when we witness a huge aircraft carrier on the ocean. The under part of the huge piece of metal covers an enormous area of the water surface in proportion to its weight.

2. 

   Another factor of buoyancy is a great amount of salt in sea water. The saltier the water the easier it is to float on. Take for example the water in the Dead Sea. It is almost impossible not to float on water there. Try to put an egg in a pan of water, keep adding salt to the water and watch the egg float to the surface.

3. 

   In the ocean, divers have to wear weight belts to dive without automatically surfacing. This is because the ocean water has more density than their bodies.

4. 

   Size does not matter, when you want to float on water. It is simply a matter of the ratio of density between the floater and the water. Animals as big as a whale or as fat as an otter can float on water. The deeper the water is, the more pounds per square inch, or density, it has.

5. 

   Last but not less important is understanding that tense muscles cause the body to become more dense, which competes with the density of the water, for buoyancy. The major key to floating, for a person, is to simply relax the muscles. Relaxing the muscles takes complete faith and trust in the principles laid out in this article. When the density of the body becomes less than that of the water, the body will begin to rise to the surface and float on the water. Because surface tension is a factor also, that part of the body that is flattened out straight will stay upon the surface of the water.
   
   Happy floating!

Tips & Warnings

• To float on one's back, seems easier.
• Relax your body completely and trusting.
• Allow your body to go flat as it surfaces.
• Think about lying relaxed upon your bed.
• Hold your breath until you surface and then don't.
• It would be good for adults to supervise young children in this process.
• Babies can do this well, but have someone support the head above water.

Resources

• Why Things Float
• Learning to Float in the Water
• How to Make a Pin Float on Water
• Why Do Some Things Float on Water While Others Do Not
• New Way to Float on Water
• Density

[SchoolOfLife]

on 3/17/2009 Great article, I enjoyed reading it. Keep up the good work. :)

[loveyourlaugh]

on 2/27/2009 now i'm really ready for the summertime and swimming! great article. 5*

[janellephant]

on 2/19/2009 when I learned how to do this as a child I got REALLY excited and thought I had a super power..lol. 5*

[OBigDaddyO]

on 2/19/2009 No I have to go try this, armed with my new knowledge. 5*

[boatst]

on 2/7/2009 Good article. I didn't understand the why. Thanks