Why metal objects sink and huge ships float: a scientific explanation

Metal objects dropped into water begin to sink. However, this does not happen to huge cargo ships carrying massive metal containers.

Why don't ships sink, even though steel is denser than water? This is a question often asked by children, and it may seem simple, but the answer is actually based on some interesting scientific principles, according to IFLScience.

To understand why ships don't sink, you first need to learn about density and buoyancy. Density is the mass of a substance per unit volume. For example, steel is denser than water because it has more mass in the same volume.

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Buoyancy is an upward pushing force that acts on any object immersed in a liquid. This force arises from the pressure of the liquid, which increases with depth.

The Archimedean principle states that a body immersed in a liquid exerts a pushing force equal to the weight of the liquid it displaces.

So, why does a nail sink and a ship float?

A nail sinks because it is denser than water. This means that the pushing force of the water is less than the weight of the nail, and it sinks to the bottom.

Ships, on the other hand, are not just pieces of steel. They are hollow inside and filled with air. This means that the average density of a ship (including air) is less than that of water.

The water's pushing force acts on the entire volume of the ship, including the air inside it. This pushing force is greater than the weight of the ship because the average density of the ship is less than the density of the water. This creates a force that pushes the ship upward, making it float.

It is important to note that ships cannot carry an infinite amount of cargo. The more cargo is loaded onto a ship, the lower its average density becomes. If the average density of the ship becomes less than the density of water, it will start sinking.

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