CSEE (Form 4) Archimedes Principle and the Law of Floatation — practice questions

Explore 4 free Archimedes Principle and the Law of Floatation questions in CSEE (Form 4) Physics. Open each question or exercise to read its content, reference answers and available explanation.

Practise Archimedes Principle and the Law of Floatation with Quill →

Archimedes Principle and the Law of Floatation questions and exercises with answers

Showing questions 1–4 of 4.

Which condition must be satisfied for a body to float?Read the answer and worked solution →For an object to float in water, its density must be:Read the answer and worked solution →Fault the wrong floating conditionsRead the answer and worked solution →Float or sink?Read the answer and worked solution →

Worked practice questions

Which condition must be satisfied for a body to float?

Its real weight equals the upthrust acting on it
The upthrust equals the weight of the fluid displaced
Its apparent weight equals its real weight minus upthrust
Its apparent weight equals real weight times upthrust

Show answer and solution

Correct answer: A. Its real weight equals the upthrust acting on it

1. A floating body is in equilibrium, so the upward and downward forces on it must balance. 2. The downward force is the body's real weight and the upward force is the upthrust. 3. So floating requires the real weight to equal the upthrust. 4. The body must also be dense enough to displace a large volume, and less dense than the surrounding fluid. 5. Saying upthrust equals the weight of fluid displaced states Archimedes' Principle, which holds for any immersed body whether it floats or sinks — that confusion is the recorded trap. _Source: NECTA CSEE 2022 Physics 031, Question 1: Multiple Choice, item (ii)_

Open this question →

For an object to float in water, its density must be:

less than the density of the water
equal to the density of the water
greater than the density of the water
independent of the water's density

Show answer and solution

Correct answer: A. less than the density of the water

1. Whether an object floats depends on how its density compares with the fluid's. 2. An object less dense than the fluid displaces a weight of fluid equal to its own before it fully submerges. 3. At that point the upthrust matches its weight and it floats. 4. An object denser than the fluid cannot displace enough weight, so it sinks. 5. Equal densities leave the object suspended within the fluid rather than floating on the surface. _Source: NECTA CSEE 2022 Physics 031, Question 1: Multiple Choice, item (ii)_

Open this question →

Fault the wrong floating conditions

Read exercise and reference answers

Questions

Question
Three of these are not conditions for a body to float.
Choices
1. Item
  Real weight equals the upthrust
  Correct
  Yes
2. Explanation
  that is Archimedes Principle, true even when sinking
  Item
  Upthrust equals weight of fluid displaced
3. Explanation
  a denser object sinks instead of floating
  Item
  Object is denser than the fluid
4. Explanation
  apparent weight is a difference, not a product
  Item
  Apparent weight is weight times upthrust

Instructions

Three of these are not conditions for a body to float. Fault each one.

Open this exercise →

How to practise

Choose a Archimedes Principle and the Law of Floatation question and try to work out your answer.
Open the question to check the correct answer and read its worked solution.
Continue in the app for bite-sized lessons, explanations and review with Quill. You can start without creating an account.