Physics: Principles with Applications (7th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-32162-592-7
ISBN 13: 978-0-32162-592-2

Chapter 10 - Fluids - Questions - Page 284: 7

Answer

A ship is not a solid block of iron. It is hollowed out, and its hull can displace an amount of water whose weight is equal to that of the iron in the ship.

Work Step by Step

In other words, if you imagine closing off the top of the ship with a massless membrane, the overall density of the ship (mass/volume) is less than that of water. The ship floats.
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