Please help! When the weight of an object equals the weight of the water displaced (or pushed away) by the object, the object is neutrally buoyant and easy to lift to the surface. A tanker made of 2.5 * 10^3 m^3 of steel sank to the bottom of the ocean. The density of steel is approximately 8 * 10^3 kg/m^3. The density of seawater is approximately 1 * 10^3 kg/m. Because gravity is pretty much the same everywhere on earth, the weight of the tanker can be assumed to be approximately equal to its mass. In cubic meters, what total volume of seawater needs to be displaced in order to lift the tanker to the surface?
Accepted Solution
A:
Archimedes principle comes to play in this scenario: The weight of water displaced equals the weight of the steel block. Weight = density*volume
In other words, Density of steel block*it volume = Density of water displaced*its volume
Therefore, Volume of water displaced = (density of block*its volume)/Density of water = (2.5*10^3*8*10^3)/(1*10^3) = 20000 m^3 = 2*10^4 m^3
This displacement of water can be achieved by lifting the tank mechanically.