A person with a mass of 55.0 kg and a
density of is submerged in water.
What is the total NET force acting on the
person?
Net Force
Pwater Indicate the sign of the net force, and if the person is sinking, the net force should be negative.

To determine the net force acting on the person submerged in water, we first calculate the buoyant force and the weight of the person. The weight can be calculated as:

Next, we find the volume of the person using the density :

The buoyant force acting on the person, according to Archimedes’ principle, is:

Finally, we calculate the net force :

The negative sign indicates that the person is indeed sinking.

Did you know that the concept of buoyancy was famously articulated by Archimedes way back in ancient Greece? This principle states that a body submerged in a fluid experiences an upward force equal to the weight of the fluid it displaces. The story goes that Archimedes discovered this while sitting in his bath, leading to his famed exclamation, “Eureka!”

In real-life situations, understanding buoyant forces has crucial applications, from designing submarines to improving our swims! Engineers and scientists utilize buoyancy principles in maritime navigation, as well as in crafting floatation devices like life jackets. So next time you’re in the pool, just remember there’s buoyancy magic happening beneath the surface!