Skip to main content
Ch 12: Fluid Mechanics
Chapter 12, Problem 12

A rock has mass 1.80 kg. When the rock is suspended from the lower end of a string and totally immersed in water, the tension in the string is 12.8 N. What is the smallest density of a liquid in which the rock will float?

Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the forces acting on the rock when it is submerged in water. These include the gravitational force (weight) acting downward and the buoyant force acting upward. The tension in the string is also acting upward, balancing these forces.
Calculate the weight of the rock using the formula for gravitational force, \( F_g = m \times g \), where \( m \) is the mass of the rock and \( g \) is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s^2).
Use the information that the tension in the string is 12.8 N when the rock is fully submerged in water to find the buoyant force. The buoyant force can be calculated by subtracting the tension in the string from the weight of the rock.
Apply Archimedes' Principle, which states that the buoyant force is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the rock. Use the formula \( F_b = \rho_{fluid} \times V \times g \), where \( F_b \) is the buoyant force, \( \rho_{fluid} \) is the density of the fluid, \( V \) is the volume of the rock, and \( g \) is the acceleration due to gravity.
To find the smallest density of a liquid in which the rock will float, set up the equation where the buoyant force equals the weight of the rock. Solve for \( \rho_{fluid} \) to find the minimum density required for the rock to float.

Verified Solution

Video duration:
8m
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Buoyancy

Buoyancy is the upward force exerted by a fluid on an object submerged in it. This force is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object, as described by Archimedes' principle. For an object to float, the buoyant force must equal or exceed the weight of the object.
Recommended video:
Guided course
11:06
Intro to Buoyancy & Buoyant Force

Density

Density is defined as mass per unit volume and is a key property of materials. It determines whether an object will float or sink in a fluid. An object will float in a fluid if its density is less than that of the fluid, while it will sink if its density is greater.
Recommended video:
Guided course
8:13
Intro to Density

Tension in a String

Tension is the force transmitted through a string or rope when it is pulled tight by forces acting from opposite ends. In this scenario, the tension in the string reflects the balance of forces acting on the rock, including its weight and the buoyant force from the water. Understanding this balance is crucial for determining the conditions under which the rock will float.
Recommended video:
Guided course
04:39
Energy & Power of Waves on Strings
Related Practice
Textbook Question
A slab of ice floats on a freshwater lake. What minimum volume must the slab have for a 65.0-kg woman to be able to stand on it without getting her feet wet?
1491
views
1
rank
Textbook Question
A hollow plastic sphere is held below the surface of a freshwater lake by a cord anchored to the bottom of the lake. The sphere has a volume of 0.650 m^3 and the tension in the cord is 1120 N. (c) The cord breaks and the sphere rises to the surface. When the sphere comes to rest, what fraction of its volume will be submerged?
462
views
Textbook Question
A cubical block of wood, 10.0 cm on a side, floats at the interface between oil and water with its lower surface 1.50 cm below the interface (Fig. E12.33). The density of the oil is 790 kg/m^3. (a) What is the gauge pressure at the upper face of the block? (b) What is the gauge pressure at the lower face of the block? (c) What are the mass and density of the block?

526
views
Textbook Question
On a part-time job, you are asked to bring a cylindrical iron rod of length 85.8 cm and diameter 2.85 cm from a storage room to a machinist. Will you need a cart? (To answer, calculate the weight of the rod.)
603
views
1
rank
Textbook Question
A cube 5.0 cm on each side is made of a metal alloy. After you drill a cylindrical hole 2.0 cm in diameter all the way through and perpendicular to one face, you find that the cube weighs 6.30 N. (a) What is the density of this metal?
637
views
Textbook Question
A shower head has 20 circular openings, each with radius 1.0 mm. The shower head is connected to a pipe with radius 0.80 cm. If the speed of water in the pipe is 3.0 m/s, what is its speed as it exits the shower-head openings?
1461
views
1
rank