When a 5-N block of wood floats in mercury the buoyant force on it is
A)less than 5 N.
B)5 N.
C)greater than 5 N.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When an object is floating in a fluid, the buoyant force acting on it is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. Since the density of mercury is much greater than that of wood, the block of wood will displace a volume of mercury that weighs 5 N or more. Therefore, the buoyant force on the block of wood will be equal to or greater than 5 N, making option B the best choice.

When a 5-N Block of Wood Floats in Mercury the Buoyant