Askiitians Tutor Team
Last Activity: 4 Months ago
To understand the effect of buoyant force on the iron block when the temperature of the water increases, we first need to grasp a few fundamental concepts about buoyancy and how temperature influences both water and the block itself.
Buoyant Force Basics
The buoyant force is the upward force exerted by a fluid on an object that is submerged in it. This force is determined by Archimedes' principle, which states that the buoyant force on an object is equal to the weight of the fluid that the object displaces. In simpler terms, if you put an object in water, it pushes some water out of the way, and the weight of that displaced water is what pushes the object up.
Temperature Effects on Water and Iron
When the temperature of the water increases from 2 degrees Celsius to 3 degrees Celsius, the water expands slightly. This expansion reduces its density. Since density is mass per unit volume, as the temperature rises, the same mass of water occupies a larger volume, leading to a decrease in density.
For the iron block, as its temperature increases by 1 degree Celsius, it also expands slightly, but the effect on its density is minimal compared to that of water. Iron is much denser than water, so the change in volume due to temperature is relatively small.
Analyzing the Buoyant Force Change
Now, let’s consider how these changes affect the buoyant force:
- Initial Condition: At 2 degrees Celsius, the buoyant force acting on the iron block is based on the density of water at that temperature.
- After Temperature Increase: When the water's temperature rises to 3 degrees Celsius, the density of water decreases. This means that for the same volume of water displaced by the iron block, the weight of the displaced water is now less than it was at 2 degrees Celsius.
As a result, the buoyant force exerted on the iron block decreases because it is now displacing a lighter fluid. Even though the block itself has also warmed up, the change in buoyant force is primarily due to the decrease in water density.
Conclusion on Buoyant Force Impact
In summary, when the temperature of the water increases, the buoyant force acting on the iron block decreases because the water becomes less dense. This decrease in buoyant force is a direct consequence of the relationship between temperature and density in fluids. Therefore, even though both the water and the iron block experience a temperature increase, the effect on buoyancy is predominantly influenced by the change in water density.