Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/17/84 chuqui version 1.7 9/23/84; site daisy.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!hplabs!nsc!daisy!dbell From: dbell@daisy.UUCP (David I. Bell) Newsgroups: net.physics Subject: Floating a battleship in a gallon of water Message-ID: <27@daisy.UUCP> Date: Sat, 8-Dec-84 00:48:50 EST Article-I.D.: daisy.27 Posted: Sat Dec 8 00:48:50 1984 Date-Received: Mon, 10-Dec-84 02:44:02 EST Distribution: net Organization: Daisy Systems Corp., Mountain View Lines: 19 | || | A COUNTER-INTUITIVE FACT | /||\ | | ------------------ | Something that I have found amusing | | | | is the fact that a ship can float in a \ \ / / container of water which only contains \~~\ /~~/ a VERY small amount of water. \~~\ SHIP /~~/ \~~\ /~~/ For example, if a container is shaped so \~~\ /~~/ that it is 1/10 inch away from the ship on \~~\ /~~/ all sides (and the bottom), then the water \~~\ /~~/ filling that small gap will hold it up. =====> \~~\--/~~/ \~~~~~~/ The counter-intuitive fact is that the weight of \~~~~/ the water can be *much* less than the ship's weight. \--/ How is it that the water can hold up a ship which weighs more than the water? -dbell-