Physics
Physics
Problem
A wooden cube of density is gently placed in water of density . What percentage of the cube’s volume will be submerged? a) 40\% b) 75\% c) 60\% d) 66.7\%Intuitive explanation
This is a buoyancy equilibrium problem—when an object floats, the weight of water it displaces must equal its own weight. Since the cube is less dense than water, it won't sink completely; instead, set the buoyant force (weight of displaced water) equal to the cube's weight, then solve for what fraction of its volume sits underwater. The key insight is that the ratio of densities directly tells you the submerged fraction.
Intuitive explanation
This is a buoyancy equilibrium problem—when an object floats, the weight of water it displaces must equal its own weight. Since the cube is less dense than water, it won't sink completely; instead, set the buoyant force (weight of displaced water) equal to the cube's weight, then solve for what fraction of its volume sits underwater. The key insight is that the ratio of densities directly tells you the submerged fraction.