why does a dead body float on the surface of water after some hours?

Answer 1

I believe that once it starts to decompose, it fills up with gases from the bacteria.

Answer 2

What makes a dead body float in water?

When a person drowns, water takes the place of air in the lungs. Thus leaving the body heavier and sink. It stays there until enough gas builds up inside the body from bacterial decomposition to make it buoyant and free it from the suction that silt and mud creates on the river bed, so that it surfaces.

Bodies usually stay underwater between one to two weeks, although this varies widely and some bodies never come up at all. One factor which effects this is the temp. of the water. One difference between a male and a female is that while most corpses rise with spine up, women and obese persons may rise-face up. This is caused by gas forming in breasts and large abdomens.

SOURCE: http://www.newscientist.com

Answer 3

Having a problem keeping it under the surface , are we ?

Gas produced by decomposition will bring the body to the surface . As the gas is released due to less pressure , the body begins to sink again . A body can sink and then rise to the surface 3 or more times before it stays down permanently .

Hint : cement patio blocks are your friends !

Answer 4

As soon as one dies bacteria in the body starts it decomposing. Decomposition produces the gases CO2 and methane. Because the human body has basically the same density as water it doesn't take up much to cause enough buoyancy to lift the body to the surface of the water.

Answer 5

The body starts to decompose, this creates gas in the stomach and intestines. Depending of the temp of the water, a body will float in as little as a few hours, or in colder water may take days/weeks or in deep,deep icy water, may never float.

Answer 6

Gases that are left in the body, and what is produced by the bacteria decomposing it.

The body has some sort of natural buoyancy and takes awhile for all those gases to exit the body.

Answer 7

while the physique starts off to decompose it creates gases, the gases is what makes the physique glide, it happens to all kinds of existence, fish, whales, etc.. If a man or woman would not comprehend a thank you to swim they panic and address water why they drown, yet while they have been to take a seat down back and lean back they might glide as properly, it in simple terms takes extra capability to stay a glide.

Answer 8

The decay of tissue inside the body produces gases which fill up the various cavities and bladders (stomach, intestines and so on), inflating the body like a balloon.

Answer 9

You sink because your lungs fill up with water. Over time the Bacteria in your guts produce methane, carbon dioxide ect as you rot and you fill up with gas. Your body bloats and you are less dense then the water so you rise to the top.

Answer 10

A body floats because decomposition gasses trapped inside the body make it buoyant.