Why do aircraft carriers float?

Answer 1

Because they contain a large hollow space. The buoyant force of water is equal to the weight of the water displaced by an immersed object, which is equal to the weight of the water equal in volume to the portion of the object that is below the surface. For a solid object, the object must be less dense than water in order to float in it, because otherwise its own weight will be greater than the upwards buoyant force, and it will still be pulled down. But an object like an aircraft carrier can float while being made of a material more dense than water, because the aircraft carrier has a large hollow space inside of it, causing it to displace a volume of water much greater than its own solid volume.

Answer 2

You could ask that about anything. The answer lie in the definition of buoyancy.

If you put something in a cup of water, the water level will rize. This is called displacement. The item you put in the water displaced x amount of water. If you figure out the weight of this displaced water then the item will float if it weighs less than the water it displaces. If the item weighs more than the water it displaces then the item will sink.

The dimensions and weight of an aircraft carrier are such that it will float because the amount of water it displaces weighs more than the carrier does.

Answer 3

This is a direct confirmation of Archimedes' principle:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archimedes%27_principle

The aircraft carrier's weight is distributed over a large area that resists the sinking of the carrier with the buoyancy force described by Archimedes.

If the carrier were compressed into a solid block, it would sink as you'd expect.

These two datapoints shows that the apparent density of the object makes the big difference. The density of an aircraft carrier is substantially smaller than that of the equivalent weight of water.

Answer 4

Because even though they weigh a lot they are big enough that the amount of water they displace by being in the ocean weighs more than they do. That difference in weight of carrier pushing down and displaced water's weight pushing up is water makes them float.

Think of making a toy boat out of aluminum foil and putting into a basin of water . it will float for the same reason as the carrier does. Then take it out and squish it into a compact ball. Put it back into the basin and it will sink. So it is not the weight - it is the displacement that counts.

Answer 5

Same reason why dead animals float...God made it that way and you better like it or the hippies will come and take your soul...

OK, OK, that's not quite true...the hippies won't take your soul...that's all a lie...

It has to do with a bunch of physics stuff dealing with Volume, Displacement, and Density...I could dig out my marine engineering books, but you could also look up buoyancy and probably get a better answer...

Still, it has something to do with God...now go do your homework or the hippies might come and take your soul...I know a whole bunch of them and they are very angry and are easily agitated by people who don't do their homework...

Answer 6

Since they are mostly hollow space, they displace a greater mass of water than the mass of the ship itself.

Answer 7

If the question is why rather than how, then the answer is "they are designed to float"

Answer 8

Because they weigh less than the maximum volume of water that can be displaced.

Answer 9

Its use the Archimedes principle of buoyancy.

Answer 10

buoyancy. It's all about the displacement of water.