If I had a very large fish tank in my basement on a set of large scales. It was filled with water and the usual fish tank stuff. If I hopped into the fish tank and floated in the water, not touching any part of the fish tank, would the fish tank weight more with me in it, or would it make no difference to the original weight of the tank?
2006-07-20 07:38:52 · 15 answers · asked by Mr MOJO123 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
There are two possible scenarios.If you don't displace any water out of the tank, the scale would read an increase in your weight. However, if you do displace some degree of water, you will see the scale still increase, but to a lesser degree. Since the human body is more dense than water (approx 1.025), regardless of how much water you displace, up to your entire volume and assuming its filled to the brim (non splashed over) you will still see an increase in the scale.
Since you are floating, the water support your weight, and the scale support you and the water.
The first source is what you are trying to do- sort of!
2006-07-20 07:45:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The volume your body occupies will displace an equal amount of water, which will increase the height of water in the tank. If you worked out the weight of the water in the tank using the volume (known, since the base of the tank is unchanged, and you can measure the water height) and the density of the water (1 gram for every cubic centimeter for fresh water), you would find a figure than exactly equaled the eight of the tank, plus your own weight. The scales would also read this value.
You might reason, however, that, people float, and don't displace thier entire volume when in the water. So if even a tiny bit of your body was suspended above the surface above the water, the sacles would not register your entire weight. However, this is accounted for by increased pressure your mass is exerting on the water below you; this incrased pressure will cause the water to push outwards more forcefully in every direction, including straight down, which will increase the weight on the scales. Experimentally, it should all work out very nicely.
2006-07-20 07:46:38 · answer #2 · answered by Argon 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would be the same if you got into the tank or stood on the scale holding the tank. Makes no difference to the original weight of the tank, but the combined weight of you and the tank would be a serious increase, right?
Oh, was that a large fish scale?
2006-07-20 07:53:44 · answer #3 · answered by Alan Turing 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to the Arhimedes law, Your volume would expell a certain amount of water, so the fish tank would be lighter for that amount. Then, add Your own weight and YOu'll get the weight of the tank.
Obviously, it would be heavier with Yourself inside, but not for the whole amount of Your weight.
Anyway, the pressure of the water column would increase, due to the higher level of the water in the tank after You get into it. Since the base area remains the same, it means that the heavier mass is inside the tank. It is quite clear that Your presence inside the tank cannot be neglected.
2006-07-20 09:04:46 · answer #4 · answered by Vlada M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The scales would indicate a heavier weight. -- Assuming none of the water splashed out onto the floor. The total weight would be "The weight of the tank before you got in" PLUS "Your weight" MINUS "The weight of any water that overflowed out of the tank when you got in".
It doesn't matter if you're 'floating' in the water, not touching the tank itself -- you're touching the water, and the water is holding you up and is also touching the tank. The scales register the weight of everything they support above them.
2006-07-20 07:52:27 · answer #5 · answered by Bluebirds i 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Two ways to answer this question.
Answer 1: If there is no water spilling out of the tank with you in it then the total weight is increased by your weight.
Answer 2: If the water was filled to the top before you go in, as you go into the tank, you are displacing the water with your body. The total amount of water displaced is the volume of your body that is submerged (to simplify the problem..lets assume you are totally submerged in the water). Since you float, you weight less than the weight of the water you displaced. The total weight of the tank with you in it ( -minus the weight of the water you displaced) will be less than before you get in the tank.
2006-07-20 07:51:44 · answer #6 · answered by galactic_man_of_leisure 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The weight shown on the scales would increase with you in the tank because when you jump in, you become a part of everything inside of the tank, which is being pulled down by gravity, and being read by the scales. It would not matter if you were touching anything or not on the inside of the tank.
2006-07-20 07:48:26 · answer #7 · answered by bonescbass 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The water is exerting a force on you causing you to float. That means you are exerting a force on the water and in turn, the water on the tank. So yes, the tank would weigh more.
2006-07-20 10:51:03 · answer #8 · answered by Nick 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you jump into water, the weight would certainly increase. The total weight is the sum of tank and its constituents plus your weight. however, your weight would be less in water than actually what it is outside due to upward pressure of water.
then, if you are spilling any water, the weight will be further little less. but on the whole, the weight is incresing as the spilled water cannot have more weight than you. The density of water is only 1gm per cc. whereas human body is more denser than that.
finally, weight increases however !
2006-07-20 08:04:24 · answer #9 · answered by rahulthesweet 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Simply put, yes.
But if the water was filled to the brim and THEN you got in...well you might displace (spill) more water than you actually weigh, which would make the tank lighter overall.
I'm guessing this is a hypothetical (hw) question?
2006-07-20 07:47:00 · answer #10 · answered by elctropro 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋