Question

Based on Archimedes' principle, the greatest buoyant force an object can experience in water is determined by which quantity?

Answer 1

Answer:

B. The object's volume

Explanation:

When an object is immersed in a fluid, it experiences an upward force which is called buoyant force. The magnitude of the buoyant force is given by:

$B=\rho_f V_{disp} g$

where

$\rho_f$ is the density of the fluid in which the object is immersed

$V_{disp}$ is the volume of the fluid displaced by the object

$g$ is the acceleration due to gravity

When the object is totally immersed in the fluid, $V_{disp}$ corresponds to the volume of the object; when the object is only partially immersed, $V_{disp}$ corresponds only to the volume of the part of the object immersed.

From the formula, we see that the greatest buoyant force is experienced by the object when it is fully immersed. Moreover, we see that the buoyant force depends only on one property of the object: its volume. Therefore, the correct choice is

B. The object's volume