Water displacement is a method to measure volume
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Displacement of water is an indirect measurement because we cannot directly measure the volume of an irregularly shaped object. By measuring the water displaced when the object is submerged, we can indirectly determine the volume of the object based on the volume of water displaced, according to Archimedes' principle.
You could use indirect measurement to find the mass of a large boulder by measuring the displacement of water when the boulder is submerged in a container of water. By measuring the volume of water displaced, you can calculate the mass of the boulder using the principle of buoyancy.
The general property illustrated by measuring the volume of a stone through water displacement is the principle of displacement. When the stone is submerged in water, it displaces an equal volume of water, providing an indirect method of measuring the volume of the stone.
An example of displacement is when a boat moves through water, causing the water to be pushed aside or displaced. Another example is when a person moves a book from one spot on a shelf to another, displacing the air around it.
Examples of water displacement include placing a stone in a cup of water and observing the water level rise, or immersing a metal object in a full container of water and noting the increase in water volume. Another example is filling a balloon with water and submerging it in a basin to see the amount of water it displaces.
Upward displacement of water occurs when an object is placed in water, causing the water level to rise. Downward displacement of water occurs when an object is submerged into water, causing the water level to drop.