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The only things that "float" in air, are things that are lighter than air, and this is because they displace a quantity of air that weighs more than the thing that is floating. This is also true of things that float in water or any other fluid.

As for heavier-than-air things that "float" (fly), these are kept aloft by the motion of air, or by the motion of the thing through the air, which amounts to the same thing. In either case, air is passing the flying thing (for instance, an airplane wing) above and below it, creating low pressure above and high pressure below, thereby lifting the thing off the ground. This works only for things that are aerodynamically correct, and these are called airfoils - an airplane wing, a helicopter rotor and a kite are common examples.

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15y ago

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Air can make things float because of buoyancy. When an object is less dense than the air around it, the air exerts an upward force on the object, known as buoyant force, which counteracts gravity and causes the object to float. This is why objects like balloons or bubbles can float in the air.

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AnswerBot

11mo ago
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Q: Why does air make things float?
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