Why is it that someone who doesn't know how to swim sinks to the bottom of the sea, but cadavers float?

Question

(Besides, I assume that after drowning, someone has a lot of water in the stomach, and so is a little heavier...)

Answer 1

A person who drowns gets water in the lungs, not the stomach. As others have said, a live body will float with a small portion out of the water, but people who don't know how to swim can't keep their face up and out of the water & so they drown.

When a person dies, bacteria immediately begins to consume the body and their digestion creates gas which blows the body up to a bigger air-filled container which will then float higher in the water.

Answer 2

People generally drown because of panic or fatigue. Because a consensus person will float near the surface with little effort, and be able to breath. If you get so tired that you cannot keep your face out of the water you will drown. As you said, you will only sink when your lungs become filled with water.

Answer 3

A person who does not know how to swim does not sink to the bottom of the sea. They die because they cannot keep their face out of the water. It is almost impossible for a person to remain completely underwater for more than a few seconds unless there are currents pulling them down or they are weighted down or they are intentionally swimming underwater. Try to sit on the bottom of a swimming pool with the water over your head. It is impossible unless you hold onto the ladder, grate, or some other fixed object.

Answer 4

all basic swimmers start with the floating position. You can lie on your back and without much effort at all, keep your face above water floating. The reason people sink is because of all the thrashing and panic.

Answer 5

When you die you immediately start decomposing. This causes gas to form. Gas causes you to float. If you have ever seen a body you would know what I mean. Some even swell up and burst like a pizza pinata.