F2-23: BUOYANCY PARADOX - INVERTED BLOCK

ID Code: F2-23
Purpose: Illustrate buoyancy in a paradoxical way.
Description: A large styrofoam block with a smaller aluminum block mounted on top as in the picture at the left, floats with the center of the styrofoam block, marked by the black line, at the water level.

Q: When this gizzit is inverted, with the aluminum block in the water, will the water level on the styrofoam block be (a) above, (b) below, or (c) at the black line?
A: The water level will be below the black line. Notice also that the water level in the tank remains the same, at the level of the top of the black tape.

Availability: Available

See the Physics Question of the Week for 3/17/2014 for an example of how this demonstration can be used in class interaction and discussion: lecdem.physics.umd.edu/question-of-the-week-archive.html