explain why a paper clip sinks and a large ocean liner floats?

Answer 1

The ocean liner contains trapped air. If you crumble an ocean liner so that all of the trapped air is removed, it will sink very rapidly. You can do the same job by just poking a hole in the bottom of the liners hull.

On the other-hand, if you were to hammer the paperclip into a thin foil and then wrap the foil to trap air in it, then the paperclip would float.

This trapped air is the reason for a property called buoyancy. Buoyancy is due to a difference in density. When the total density (mass divided by volume) is less than the density of water, an object floats. When it is greater than the density of water, then it sinks.

Answer 2

Bouyancy.

Basically if it's a large metal object which is thin and light (EG the hull of a ship) then it will float. If it's large and solid (IE thick and heavy because of this) in proportion it will sink.

Paperclips do not have a hollow hull and are solid metal. They are also shaped wrongly to displace water. If you look at a metal hull of a ship you will see that the shape is designed to displace water so that it can sit on the water instead of sinking through it.

Apparently you can even make a boat from concrete which will float. I've never seen it but I'm told it has been done on some TV show once.

HTH

J

Answer 3

A boat floats because the fluid in which it is floating offsets the downward pull of gravity and pushes it up.

The scientific name for this force, which allows even immense objects to float in liquid, is buoyant force, more commonly known as buoyancy.

A solid object's density determines whether or not the buoyant force of a liquid can lift it.

The density of an object depends upon its weight and its size. Given two solid objects that are different sizes, but weigh the same, the smaller, more compact object is the denser of the two.

Fluids also have density. When an object is placed in the fluid, it pushes aside some of the liquid and, if its density is greater than that of the fluid it displaces, it will sink and, if not, it will float.

Despite the enormous size of some ships, they are basically metal shells filled with air, and are less dense and lighter than the water they push aside, which allows the boats to float.

A boat, or any other object designed to float, is based on a theory by Archimedes (Ark-i'-meed-eez). His principle, cleverly named the Archimedes' Principle, explains how things float.
If you fill your bathtub with water, what happens when you get in? The water rises, right? (And sometimes goes over the side.) That is because you "displaced" some of the water with your body and it had to go somewhere. The key to floating is that the object must displace an amount of water which is equal to its own weight.

For example, suppose you had a block of wood that was 1 foot square. Let's say that this block of wood weighs about 50 pounds. Now say we lower that wood into the water. The wood will move down into the water until it has displaced 50 pounds of water. That means that fifty pounds of water are pushing back up on the block and making it float.

The principle of floating is pretty easy, however, if you want to remain inside the boat and actually get where you want to go, your boat must have "stability" as well as being able to float. Stability means that it is designed not to tip over easily. That doesn't mean it won't ever tip over.

On a large ship like an ocean liner or tanker, the movement of one person doesn't affect the stability of the ship because it was designed to safely carry lots of weight. But on a small boat, like a fishing boat, your weight and the weight of your gear (and where you put it) has an effect on the stability of the boat.

A boat is said to "heel" when it leans over to one side. This is why you never want to sit or step onto the side of a boat. Your weight could make it "heel" too much and it may tip over. You should also balance the weight of all the stuff you bring with you. In a small boat, you and your gear should always stay low and to the center of the boat. When getting into a small boat, always try to step into the center and keep "one hand for yourself and one for the boat."

Answer 4

The Archimedes principal states that if an object weighs less than the water it displaces it will float. Since a paper clip is made of steel which weighs more per unit volume than water, it will sink. The ocean liner on the other hand, even though it is made of steel it still floats because it is hollow. The hollow ship weighs less per unit volume than the water does.

Answer 5

A paper clip surface area to mass ratio is not enogh to keep the paper clip afloat. A ship has a lot of mass, but its hull surface area is large enough to resist/prevent sinking. If you hammered the paper clip flat and created a curved bottom, the paper clip will float, and the reverse is true for a ship. It takes great force to dispace water.

Answer 6

The amount of water a paper clip displaces isn't as heavy as the paper clip, so if sinks. The amount of water a boat displaces is more than the boat weighs, so it floats. Remember, to boat is hollow. If you had a solid object the same size and shap of the boat, it would still displace the same amount of water, but it would be much heavier, so it would sink.

Answer 7

Bouyancy. in fact if this is a huge metallic merchandise that's skinny and mild-weight (EG the hull of a deliver) then it is going to drift. If it is large and robust (IE thick and heavy because of this) in share it is going to sink. Paperclips have not got a hollow hull and are stable metallic. they are additionally shaped wrongly to displace water. in case you look at a metallic hull of a deliver you will see that the form is designed to displace water so as that it could sit down on the water as a exchange of sinking by it. curiously you are able to as properly make a boat from concrete which will drift. i've got in no way considered it yet i'm informed it is been achieved on some television tutor as quickly as. HTH J

Answer 8

Because an ocean liner has air in it and is designed for buoyancy . When a paper clips density is greater than its mass.

Answer 9

If the weight of an object is less than its volume times the density of the liquid displaced it will float. The amount of fluid displaced is directly related to its weight.

Answer 10

A paperclip is not buoyant and an ocean liner is.