Why do plasticine float?

Answer 1

The pen weighs less than its equivalent volume of water weighs.

Putting the pen underwater shoves an amount of water out of the way equal to the amount of space the pen takes up. This is called displacement. For the pen, the displaced water weighs more than the pen, so it can force the pen up and out of the water instead of the pen forcing more water out of the way and sinking to the bottom.

Eventually, when most of the pen is out of the water, the small volume of the pen that is still beneath the surface displaces an amount of water whose weight equals the total weight of the pen. It then floats at this equilibrium depth, with the pen being pulled down with a force equal to the displaced water's weight pushing up.

Answer 2

anything that displaces more than its own weight in water will float. For example if you have a solid plastic toy that weighs less than the same amount of water it will float above the water. This is why steel ships can float, because although the steel is much denser than water, the amount of water displaced by the ship weighs more than the ship itself (because of all the air inside).

Answer 3

because when you shape it into a canoe it will be able to float because of the surface area but if it fills up then it will sink the inside has to stay dry

Answer 4

because theplastticine that has made into boat has a bigger surfaceof water,this makes the plasticine has less density than the water.