Question

A block of wood has density 0.50 g/cm3 and mass 1 500 g. it floats in a container of oil (the oil's density is 0.75 g/cm3). what volume of oil does the wood displace?

Answer 1

To determine the volume of oil that was displaced, we do summation of forces around the block of wood. Two forces are involved namely the weight and the buoyant force which are in opposite directions. We do as follows:

W - Fb = 0
W = Fb
m(wood)g = m(oil)g
m(wood) = m(oil displaced)
m(wood) = density (V(oil displaced))
1500 g = 0.7500 g / cm^3 (V(oil displaced))
V(oil displaced) = 2000 cm^3