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Why does a nail sink in water where as a ship having a much bigger mass floats on the surface of water?
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
It seems like they ought to sink because we're used to seeing things fall. But for the ship to sink it has to push aside some water, which has nowhere to go but up. So it's a question: does the ship 'want' to sink more than the water 'wants' not to rise? It turns out that just depends on whether the ship weighs more or less than the amount of water that would fill the same space. Real ships have lots of air inside, so they weigh less than the same volume of water, so they float.
A nail, on the other hand, sinks due to the fact the it is a solid object. The amount of water that fills the same space is small.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
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One hypothesis will have to do with the surface tension of water.
How does a ship floats on the water being heavy?
Surface area.
Why a stone sink in water but a ship floats on water surface?
A stone has a greater density than water; a ship, less.
How does surface area affect the evaporation rate of water?
The bigger the surface area of water the more evaporation will take place.
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The sun heats the water surface. Warm water has a lighter density than cold water so the warmer water floats on the surface of the colder water.
Does warm water stay at the surface of the ocean?
As water warms, it expands. Having expanded, it is lighter, and floats at the surface- where it may be warmed more by the sunlight.
What floats on or near the surface of the water?
PLANKTON
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a green liquid
An object that floats on the surface of water?
the amount of density
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they are immiscible cyclohexane floats on water surface.
What is the hypothesis for paperclip floats in water?
One hypothesis will have to do with the surface tension of water.
A plant that floats on the surface of a fresh water?
fairy moss
How does a ship floats on the water being heavy?
Surface area.
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Fat floats on water, but not on the surface of the troposphere.
Is sodium heavy?
No, it is very soft and light and floats at the surface of water.
How deep does seaweed live in the water?
It floats or connects to rocks by the surface.
Why is that needle floats in water?
Surface Tension ~ see related link below .
