Density and buoyancy determine whether an

object will float

By Gale, Cengage Learning, adapted by Newsela staff on 02.18.20
Word Count 857
Level 820L

Image 1. A ship floats in water because of the combined effects of density and buoyancy. Photo by George Desipris via Pexels

What does density mean? What does density tell us about the nature and behavior of a substance?
How does it affect whether an object sinks or floats in a liquid?

Before we can understand density, we have to understand volume and mass. Everything that you
can see, touch and feel has volume and mass. Volume is how much space an object takes up. It is
measured in cubic centimeters or inches. Mass is the amount of matter an object has. It is
measured in kilograms or pounds. Density is a word that describes an object's volume in relation
to its mass. It is the amount of mass in a certain volume of matter.

The mass of substances can be very different. Mass is the amount of matter an object has, and
atoms are the building blocks of all matter. At room temperature, the atoms that make up lead are
tightly packed. But the atoms that make up hydrogen gas are very loosely packed.

Density measures how tightly packed matter is in an object. More atoms at a given volume means
greater density. So, compared to hydrogen gas in the same volume, lead is more dense.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Different Substances Have Different Masses

Let's look at another example. Imagine a sculpture of

a goldfish molded in solid clay. Now imagine an
identical statue molded in solid lead. Both sculptures
occupy the same volume: they take up the same
amount of space. However, in the lead sculpture,
atoms are more tightly packed. The lead sculpture has
a greater mass and is therefore denser than the clay
sculpture.

A third
identical
sculpture
is carved
from
balsa
wood,
and it
also
occupies
the same
volume as the others. However, its atoms are more loosely packed, and it contains less mass than
either the clay or the lead. So, the balsa wood sculpture is less dense than the others.

Density Is Measured On A Relative Scale

We did not use any units of measurement to compare the densities of the lead, clay and balsa
wood goldfish. We simply stated that balsa wood is less dense than clay. We also stated that lead is
more dense than the clay. We compared the densities of different materials without using
measurements. This is called relative density.

To measure density, scientists often use a relative scale. They give water a value of 1.0. They give
other materials numerical values that are greater or less than 1.0. These values are based on their
density compared to water. For example, lead has a relative density of 11.3. This is greater than 1.0,
so lead is more dense than water. Balsa wood has a relative density of 0.2. This is less than 1.o, so
balsa wood is less dense than water.

The Behavior Of Liquids Can Reflect Density

It is easy to find the relative density of certain materials. You just have to watch what happens
when gravity acts upon the materials in a liquid. Substances of greater density will sink in liquids
of lesser density. Thus, the lead goldfish will sink through water. Substances of lesser density will
rise. So, the balsa wood goldfish will float in water. What about the clay goldfish? To predict its
behavior, we would need to know its relative density.

Relative density can also be observed with different liquids. Some liquids do not mix. Take oil and
vinegar, for example. When these liquids are poured into a container, the less-dense liquid floats
on top of the more-dense liquid. Oil is less dense than vinegar, so it will float on top of the vinegar.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

A solid dropped into the container will sink through the liquids that are less dense than it is.
However, it will float on the layer that is more dense than it is.

Look! It Floats!

Buoyancy is the force that makes objects in liquid float or sink. Buoyancy depends on the amount
of liquid that an object displaces, or pushes aside.

The relationship between density and buoyancy was studied in the third century B.C. by
Archimedes. He was a Greek scientist and inventor. He discovered that the amount an object floats
is equal to the weight of the liquid that it displaces. If the object contains less mass than the mass
of the displaced liquid, the object will float. This idea is known as Archimedes' Principle.

Archimedes' Principle explains why huge steel ships can float. Below the surface, the body of a ship
displaces large amounts of water. The ship will float if the mass of the displaced water is greater
than the mass of the entire ship. This is true even though steel has a greater relative density than
water. A steel ship displaces a lot of water. This displaced water has a greater mass than the mass
of the ship. So, the ship floats.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Quiz

1 What is the relationship between mass and density?

(A) Something with more mass will have less density.

(B) Something with more mass will have a greater density.

(C) Something with a small amount of mass will have no density.

(D) Something with a small amount of mass will have a large density.

2 According to the section "The Behavior Of Liquids Can Reflect Density," how does a more-dense solid interact with a less-dense
liquid?

(A) The more-dense solid will float in the less-dense liquid.

(B) The more-dense solid will sink in the less-dense liquid.

(C) The more-dense solid will float in the less-dense liquid, then eventually sink.

(D) The more-dense solid will sink in the less-dense liquid, then eventually float.

3 Look at Image 1 and read the paragraph from the section "Look! It Floats!"

Archimedes' Principle explains why huge steel ships can float. Below the surface, the body of a
ship displaces large amounts of water. The ship will float if the mass of the displaced water is
greater than the mass of the entire ship. This is true even though steel has a greater relative
density than water. A steel ship displaces a lot of water. This displaced water has a greater mass
than the mass of the ship. So, the ship floats.

How does the image support the information in the paragraph above?

(A) It shows what happens below the surface when a steel ship is in water.

(B) It shows the mass of the entire ship is greater than the mass of displaced water.

(C) It shows the relative density of steel is greater than the relative density of water.

(D) It shows a steel ship can float because it displaces water.

4 Use the two images and information from the article to select the true statement.

(A) The relative density of clay is less than the relative density of lead and wood.

(B) The relative density of clay is greater than the relative density of lead and wood.

(C) The relative density of wood is less than the relative density of lead and clay.

(D) The relative density of wood is greater than the relative density of lead and clay.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.