Catherine Linsley

Physics 113 L
Lab report 10
Archimedes Principle
I.
Abstract
The objective of this lab was to apply Archimedes Principle to
determine the densities of different types of metals. In order to do so,
copper, aluminum, brass, and iron were suspended from a triple beam
balance into a container of water. The body suspended in the fluid then
experienced an upward force that is equal to the weight of the fluid
displaced by the density of each metal. Based on calculations, the
percent deviation ranged from 0 to 10.37%, which was very low
meaning, we had high accuracy and success in this experiment.
II.
Introduction
As previously stated, the main purpose of this lab was to determine
the densities of several materials based on Archimedes principle. This
principle states that a body immersed in a fluid experiences an upward
force due to the surrounding fluid and that this force is equal to the
weight of the fluid displaced by the body.
If the density of the body immersed in water is greater than that of
water, it will sink. In order to keep it from sinking, we support it was a
string. The tension in the string T plus the buoyant force B acting on
the body by the surrounding water is enough to balance the weight W
of the body.
W =T + B
(1)
We can use this equation in order to find the buoyant force by
finding the weight of the body in water to find the tension in the string.
The buoyant force will be the same as the weight of the water that is
displaced by the immersed body. The volume of the displaced water is
also the same as the body. The ratio of the density of the body to the
density of water is given as:
b
W
=
w W T
(2)
By using the density of water and this equation, the density of the
submerged materials can be determined. If the object floats in water,
then its density must be less than or equal to the density of water. The
density of the body can only be determined when submerged in water.
The weight of a plastic sinker is incorporated as W s . The combined
forces of the weight W and buoyant forces B are:
W =W b +W s
(3)
B=Bb + Bs

(4)
In order to find the buoyant force on the body we combine two
equations for the Volume of the sinker alone with its density, as well as
the buoyant force of the sinker and then finding the density of the
body. This method can be used to determine the density of an
unknown liquid by knowing the weight of a body W and density in the
liquid.
W
V s= s
s g
(5)
B s= w g V s
(6)
B
l= b
W
(7)
III.
Methods and materials
The first task of this experiment was to find the density of several
sinkable metals. To do so, we suspended each from a string into a
container of water while attached to a triple beam balance. We first
found the mass of each metal in the air before weighing them while
suspended. Using equation (2) from Archimedes principle, we then
calculated the density of each tested metal. By then comparing the
calculated density to a reported density value, we found the percent
deviation in each metals density.
Next, we determined the density of several floatable objects. Again,
we suspended the plastic sinker in water from the weighing apparatus
and used Archimedes principle through equation (2) to calculate the
density as well as the percent deviation from the actual accepted
density.
The last task of this experiment was to find the density of an alcohol
solution as the liquid a body is suspended in, versus the water we used
in the previous tasks. By using an object of known weight and density,
we measured the tension in the string while the object was suspended
in the alcohol. By utilizing equations (3) and (4), we found the buoyant
force of the body, and ultimately calculated the density of the alcohol
solution using (7), followed by the percent deviation.
IV.
Results
Material Measured
Iron
Copper
Aluminum
Brass
Sinker

Density g/mL
7.46
8.69
2.98
8.60
0.932

Percent Deviation
4.56%
0.11%
10.37%
0%
1.89%

Alcohol Solution

0.843

5.34%

V.
Discussion
After successfully performing the tasks involved in this lab, and
analyzing our results, we had very low levels of error in our data based
on our calculations. The highest error that occurred was in the density
of he aluminum metal object at 10.37% which is still quite low error.
However, its possible that some error could be due to the chance that
the triple beam balance was not correctly interpreted as balanced. This
would be due to human error, and our judgment of the scale being
balanced when it wasnt truly at its balancing point from which we
collected our data. These potential errors would have contributed to
inaccurate values for the measured weight of the bodies, from which
we determined the density. Overall Archimedes Principle was proven
to be correct for this lab, as the purpose was to use this principle to
determine the densities of several materials. Given the small amounts
of error in the calculated densities using this principle, and reported
values, Archimedes Principle is accurate.