Water Properties

Front

What is buoyancy?

Back

Buoyancy is the upward force that keeps objects afloat in fluids.

Front

Who discovered buoyancy?

Back

Archimedes is credited with the discovery of buoyancy.

Front

How do large ships float?

Back

Large ships float by displacing a large amount of water.

Front

What type of water do estuaries have?

Back

Estuaries have brackish water, which is a mix of fresh and saltwater.

Front

What causes coral bleaching?

Back

Coral bleaching occurs when rising temperatures cause corals to expel their microalgae, exposing their white skeleton underneath.

Front

Define surface tension.

Back

Surface tension is the cohesive force at the surface of a liquid that makes it behave like a stretched elastic membrane.

Front

What is the principle of displacement?

Back

The principle of displacement states that an object submerged in a fluid displaces a volume of fluid equal to its own volume.

Front

Explain the relationship between density and buoyancy.

Back

An object will float if its density is less than the density of the fluid it is in; it will sink if its density is greater.

Front

What is the role of salinity in buoyancy?

Back

Higher salinity increases the density of water, which can enhance buoyancy for objects in that water.

Front

What happens to the buoyancy of an object as it moves from freshwater to saltwater?

Back

The buoyancy of an object increases when it moves from freshwater to saltwater due to the higher density of saltwater.