Explain why objects experience a buoyant force when immersed in a fluid. How can you find the value of the buoyant force?

There is a buoyant force because the pressure of the fluid and and near the bottom is higher than the pressure at higher points on the body. (Pressure increases linearly with depth).

You can compute the buoyant force easily using Archimedes principle, or measure it directly. You would need to measure the body's weight and the force needed to keep it fully submerged but not resting on the bottom.

If a body is floating on top of a fluid, the buoyant foce equals the weight.

Objects experience a buoyant force when immersed in a fluid due to the difference in pressure exerted by the fluid at different depths. This force acts in the opposite direction to the force of gravity, causing the object to feel lighter or partially float.

The buoyant force can be calculated using Archimedes' principle, which states that the buoyant force exerted on an object submerged in a fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.

To find the value of the buoyant force, you need to know the density of the fluid, the volume of the object, and the acceleration due to gravity. Here are the steps to calculate it:

1. Determine the density of the fluid: The density (ρ) of the fluid should be known. It can be given in the problem or found in reference materials.

2. Find the volume of the object: Determine the volume (V) of the object that is submerged in the fluid. For simple shapes like a cube or a sphere, equations exist to calculate the volume. Otherwise, you can measure the volume directly.

3. Calculate the buoyant force: Multiply the fluid density (ρ), the volume of the object submerged (V), and the acceleration due to gravity (g ≈ 9.8 m/s²). The formula for the buoyant force (Fb) is:
Fb = ρ * V * g

By following these steps, you can determine the value of the buoyant force acting on an object immersed in a fluid.