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It is not the weight of an object that matters, but its density. If it has less density than the water (or other liquid on which it is placed), it will float.

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11y ago
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4mo ago

The buoyant force acting on an object in a fluid pushes it upward. The boat displaces more water, therefore experiences a greater buoyant force than its weight, causing it to float. The coin, on the other hand, displaces less water and experiences a lesser buoyant force, allowing it to sink.

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Q: A light coin sinks and a heavy boat floats why is it so?
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Why does a boat float but a nail sinks?

A boat floats because the weight of the water it displaces is equal to the weight of the boat, creating buoyant force. A nail sinks because its density is greater than that of water, causing it to be heavier than the water it displaces.


Why does a boat float and a rock does not?

A boat floats because it is shaped to displace enough water to create an upward force called buoyancy that counteracts its weight. A rock, on the other hand, is denser than water and sinks because it is too heavy to displace enough water to produce buoyant force equal to its weight.


Why will a heavy lump of plasticine float when its in th shape of a boat?

A heavy lump of plasticine floats when in the shape of a boat because the boat shape displaces a greater volume of water than the lump alone. This creates a buoyant force that is sufficient to counteract the weight of the plasticine, allowing it to float.


Why does a stone sink while a boat floats?

A stone sinks because it is denser than water, so the upward buoyant force is not enough to support its weight. A boat floats because its shape and materials displace enough water to create an upward buoyant force that is greater than its weight, allowing it to stay afloat on the water.


How does a heavy boat floats on water?

A heavy boat floats on water because of the principle of buoyancy, which states that the buoyant force acting on an object immersed in a fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. The shape of the boat and the distribution of weight within the boat help to displace enough water to create an upward force that supports the boat's weight. This allows the boat to float on the surface of the water.

Related questions

Why a ball of steel sinks but boat made of steel floats?

The steel boat has more bouyancy because it is mostley filled with air as with the steel ball it is dence and heavy so it sinks


How is it that a boat floats and a paperclip sinks when the paperclip has less mass?

the boat has its mass spread out evenly while a paperclip is like twisted


Why does a boat float but a nail sinks?

A boat floats because the weight of the water it displaces is equal to the weight of the boat, creating buoyant force. A nail sinks because its density is greater than that of water, causing it to be heavier than the water it displaces.


How does a boat sink?

This actually happened with Titanic. The only way the boat can sink is if the boat has a giant hole in it. A boat floats on water, but what happens is the water from the ocean or lake or whatever goes into the boat. As the water fills up the boat, the boat justs get very heavy. and it goes down deep in the water.Example: The titanic hit an iceberg and it made huge holes on the side of the boat. So water went in the basement and It the water went up to every floor and boat got so heavy. And when the boat was rising up it go SO heavy that it snapped in halfexample: Also a rock can sink. when you throw a rock in the water it sinks because the rock is soooo heavy


What are plimsoll lines used for today?

the plimsoll lines are what is on the side on a boat. when you fill a boat with heavy goods, the water can be no higher than the line otherwise the boat sinks.


Why does a boat float and a rock does not?

A boat floats because it is shaped to displace enough water to create an upward force called buoyancy that counteracts its weight. A rock, on the other hand, is denser than water and sinks because it is too heavy to displace enough water to produce buoyant force equal to its weight.


Why will a heavy lump of plasticine float when its in th shape of a boat?

A heavy lump of plasticine floats when in the shape of a boat because the boat shape displaces a greater volume of water than the lump alone. This creates a buoyant force that is sufficient to counteract the weight of the plasticine, allowing it to float.


Why does a stone sink while a boat floats?

A stone sinks because it is denser than water, so the upward buoyant force is not enough to support its weight. A boat floats because its shape and materials displace enough water to create an upward buoyant force that is greater than its weight, allowing it to stay afloat on the water.


What is a boat car?

it is a boat with wheels or a car that floats


How does a heavy boat floats on water?

A heavy boat floats on water because of the principle of buoyancy, which states that the buoyant force acting on an object immersed in a fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. The shape of the boat and the distribution of weight within the boat help to displace enough water to create an upward force that supports the boat's weight. This allows the boat to float on the surface of the water.


Why a ball made of steel sinks in water while a boat made of steel easily sails in water?

according to Archemidies principle ,"when a body is dipped in water its weight is reduced , this reduction in weight s eqivalent to the volume of water which replaced by the body." when a steel ball dropped in water the weight of replaced water by the ball is less than weight of the ball , so the ball sinks. But in the same condition the volume of water replaced by the boat is more wieghy in comparision to the weigh of boat , hence it floats. The term for this is Bouyance. It also explains why a Dirigible(Zeppelin) airship floats in the air. The Volume of Dirigible weighs less than the Air it displaces. Believe it or not, the same is true for Steel Ships. What I find hard to fathom is how a Ship full of heavy crude Oil floats?


Why does a bar of steel sink while a boat floats?

A bar of steel sinks in water because its density is higher than that of water, causing it to displace less water than its own weight. A boat floats because its shape and design displace enough water to create an upward force called buoyancy that is greater than its weight.