Archimedes Principle: Definition, Examples & Physics

Introduction 

This experiment was done to justify the underlying facets of the Archimedes principle. The principle explains how buoyant forces acts upon objects (solids) submerged in liquids. This experiment measures both the downward force that acts upon a liquid, and the upward force that the liquid exerts on the sinking object. The experiment expects to attain results that show that different objects of different masses displace different amounts of liquid. Objects with large mass are expected to displace a higher amount of liquid, compared to objects that have a lesser mass.

Background 

The Archimedes principle experiment presents several concepts that must be considered to achieve the desired results. For example, the downward force that a specific object exerts upon a liquid is its weight. The weight that the object exerts displaces the exact amount of liquid from the container, hence showing the buoyant force that acts on the object. In this regard, an object is bound to float when the buoyant force acting against the object is positive. On the other hand, a negative buoyant force will cause the object to get submerged.

Methodology 

The experiment used three objects of different densities, to justify the Archimedes principle. A beaker of 500ml and a string were also used in the experiment. The string was fitted with a pointer, to show the volume of displacement. The pointer was an essential apparatus for measuring the buoyant force that acted upon the different masses of objects. Additionally, an electronic scale was used to make the process of measuring mass convenient. First, the mass of the three objects was measured in air, before being submerged in the liquid. Secondly, the mass of the beaker and the liquid (water) were also measured, and the results recorded in distinct columns. The first object was submerged, and the displaced water was measured. The process was repeated for the next two objects, to ensure that errors were eliminated from the experiment. The weight of the objected under water was also measured, to determine the apparent weight that was exerted by the object in water. An electronic scale was used to reduce the amount of errors obtained. The results were then tabulated and analyzed to determine the buoyant force acting on the different kinds of objects.

Data 

Analysis 

The data trends above show that the mass of an object dictates the volume of water that is displaced from the beaker. The difference between the actual weight or volume of the object and the apparent weight depicts the buoyant force acting upon the object. The objects have different masses, hence the differences in displacement volume. The results of this experiment show that the Archimedes principle acts upon the objects, hence determining the floatation that each object portrays. Therefore, the results did not deviate from the expected results of the experiment.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, the lab experiment justifies the rules stipulated in the Archimedes principle. Submerged objects displace a similar mass of liquid in accordance to the amount of upward force that acts upon the submerged object. The density of the liquid also determines the amount of mass that the object displaces. This experiment used water as the displacement liquid, and the actual experimentation results were coherent to the expected results from the experiment. The upward force changes as objects of different masses are submerged into the water.