Physics

Problem

An air bubble of radius 1 cm in water has an upward acceleration

9.8 \text{ cm s}^{-2}

. The density of water is

1 \text{ gm cm}^{-3}

and water offers negligible drag force on the bubble. The mass of the bubble is (

g = 980 \text{ cm/s}^2

) a. 4.51 gm b. 3.15 gm c. 4.15 gm d. 1.52 gm

Intuitive explanation

This problem hinges on applying Newton's second law to a bubble experiencing two competing forces: buoyancy pushing it up and its own weight pulling it down. The key insight is that the net upward force (buoyancy minus weight) must equal mass times the given acceleration. By carefully setting up this force equation and using the volume of the bubble to find the buoyant force, you can solve for the bubble's mass.

Intuitive explanation

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