How does a boat float?

Do this:
form a peice of aluminum foil over a ball, and place it in water, it will float
now crumple that ball up and place it in water, it will sink.
 
Do this:
form a peice of aluminum foil over a ball, and place it in water, it will float
now crumple that ball up and place it in water, it will sink.
 
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4565078_a-boat-float.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art


http://merlin.alfred.edu/muller/FormerPhysWorld/PhysWorld/Project4/how_does_a_boat_float.html

All has to do with buoyancy,displacement
 
basically, all liquids demonstrate a phenomenon called "surface tension" -- it makes their molecules tend to stick together. It's why water spilled on your desktop tries to form into a puddle, and raindrops keep their shape.

The boat pushes down on the surface of the water with a force equal to the weight of the boat. The surface of the water pushes back on the boat with a force equal to the amount of water that is displaced (the volume of water that is pushed out of the way when you launch the boat).

So, the boat will settle down into the water until it has displaced an amount of water that weighs the same as the boat, and that's the height at which it floats. You step into the boat, it floats a little deeper.

Water weighs around 67 pounds per cubic foot, more or less depending on mineral content and temperature. Sea water is heavier, which is why it's easier for you to float in the ocean than in the swimming pool.
 
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