Experiment 1: Fluid Statics

The purpose of this lab was to measure the buoyant force of a metal cylinder experimentally. To do this we used three different methods and then compared them. We used the underwater weighing method, displaced fluid method, and the volume of object method.

In the Underwater Weighing Method we first used a force probe to measure the weight of the metal cylinder in air. Then we did the same thing except this time in water. Using our two recordings we determined that the buoyant force (B) could be expressed as B=mg-T. Using our calculated values of the weight and the tension of the string we found our buoyant force to be about 1.09 N.

In the Displaced Fluid Method we first began by measuring the mass of a dry beaker. Then we filled a graduated cylinder to capacity and lowered the metal cylinder into it. We collected the overflow from the graduated cylinder and weighed the mass of the overflowed water. We then applied Archimedes Principle which states that the weight of the displaced water is equal to the buoyant force. We then calculated this to be 1.04 N.

Lastly in the Volume of Object Method we took the diameter and height of the metal cylinder and calculated it's volume. We determined this to be 1.03*10^-5 m^3. This is also how much water the cylinder would displace. We know the density of water to be 1000 kg/m^3 so we used to density to calculate the weight of the water which would be equal to the buoyant force. We found this to be 1.03 N.