| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \( W_{\text{block}} = F_{\text{buoyant}} \) | Since the block is floating, it is in equilibrium, meaning the upward buoyant force equals the downward gravitational force (weight of the block). This is due to Archimedes’ principle which states that the buoyant force is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the submerged part of the block. |
| 2 | \( V_{\text{submerged}} = \frac{2}{3}V_{\text{total}} \) | Two-thirds of the block is submerged in the water, which is given in the problem statement. |
| 3 | \( F_{\text{buoyant}} = \rho_{\text{water}} \cdot g \cdot V_{\text{submerged}} \) | The buoyant force is equal to the product of the density of the water, gravitational acceleration, and the volume of the submerged part of the block. |
| 4 | \( F_{\text{buoyant}} = \rho_{\text{water}} \cdot g \cdot \left(\frac{2}{3}V_{\text{total}}\right) \) | Substituting for \( V_{\text{submerged}} \) from the reasoning in step 2. |
| 5 | \( F_{\text{block\ on\ water}} = W = \rho_{\text{water}} \cdot g \cdot \left(\frac{2}{3}V_{\text{total}}\right) \) | According to Newton’s third law, the force that the block exerts on the water is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the buoyant force. Therefore, \( F = W \). |
| 6 | (c) \( F = W \), as the block is at rest so the net force must be zero. The water must exert an upward force \( F = W \) to balance the block’s weight, and the block exerts an equal force on the water. | This option (d) is correct because it correctly applies the principle of buoyancy and equilibrium conditions without misinterpreting the force exerted based on the submerged volume alone. |
Explanation of Incorrect Answers:
– Option (a) incorrectly assumes the contact surface area determines the force rather than the weight balance.
– Option (b) misinterprets the source of the force by focusing solely on the submerged portion rather than considering equilibrium.
– Option (d) oversimplifies by suggesting all objects exert forces equal to their weight in any contact scenario, which overlooks fluid dynamics and equilibrium principles.
A Major Upgrade To Phy Is Coming Soon — Stay Tuned
We'll help clarify entire units in one hour or less — guaranteed.
A cube of unknown material and uniform density floats in a container of water with \(60\%\) of its volume submerged. If this same cube were placed in a container of oil with density \(800\) \(\text{kg/m}^3\), what portion of the cube’s volume would be submerged while floating?
Wanda watches the fish in her fish tank and notices that the angelfish like to feed at the water’s surface, while the catfish feed \( 0.300 \) \( \text{m} \) below at the bottom of the tank. If the average density of the water in the tank is \( 1000\) \( \text{kg/m}^3 \), what is the absolute pressure on the catfish?
In the lab, a student is given a glass beaker filled with water with an ice cube of mass \( m \) and volume \( V_c \) floating in it.
The downward force of gravity on the ice cube has magnitude \( F_g \). The student pushes down on the ice cube with a force of magnitude \( F_P \) so that the cube is totally submerged. The water then exerts an upward buoyant force on the ice cube of magnitude \( F_B \). Which of the following is an expression for the magnitude of the acceleration of the ice cube when it is released?
A liquid flows at a constant flow rate through a pipe with circular cross-sections of varying diameters. At one point in the pipe, the diameter is \(2\) \(\text{cm}\) and the flow speed is \(18\) \(\text{m/s}\). What is the flow speed at another point in this pipe, where the diameter is \(3\) \(\text{cm}\).

Alcohol has a specific gravity of \( 0.79 \). If a barometer consisting of an open-ended tube placed in a dish of alcohol is used at sea level, to what height in the tube will the alcohol rise?
A geologist suspects that her rock specimen is hollow, so she weighs the specimen in both air and water. When completely submerged, the rock weighs twice as much in air as it does in water.

A helium-filled balloon is attached by a string of negligible mass to a small \(0.015 \ \text{kg}\) object that is just heavy enough to keep the balloon from rising. The total mass of the balloon, including the helium, is \(0.0050 \ \text{kg}\). The density of air is \(\rho_{\text{air}} = 1.29 \ \text{kg/m}^3\), and the density of helium is \(\rho_{\text{He}} = 0.179 \ \text{kg/m}^3\). The buoyant force on the \(0.015 \ \text{kg}\) object is small enough to be negligible.
A cylindrical tank of water (height \( H \)) is punctured at a height \( h \) above the bottom. How far from the base of the tank will the water stream land (in terms of \( h \) and \( H \))? What must the value of \( h \) be such that the distance at which the stream lands will be equal to \( H \)?
The difference in pressure between the atmosphere and the human lungs is \( 1.05 \times 10^5 \) \( \text{Pa} \). What is the longest straw you could use to draw up milk whose density is \( 1030 \) \( \text{kg/m}^3 \)?
A drinking fountain projects water at an initial angle of \( 50^ \circ \) above the horizontal, and the water reaches a maximum height of \( 0.150 \) \( \text{m} \) above the point of exit. Assume air resistance is negligible.
By continuing you (1) agree to our Terms of Use and Terms of Sale and (2) consent to sharing your IP and browser information used by this site’s security protocols as outlined in our Privacy Policy.
| Kinematics | Forces |
|---|---|
| \(\Delta x = v_i t + \frac{1}{2} at^2\) | \(F = ma\) |
| \(v = v_i + at\) | \(F_g = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\) |
| \(v^2 = v_i^2 + 2a \Delta x\) | \(f = \mu N\) |
| \(\Delta x = \frac{v_i + v}{2} t\) | \(F_s =-kx\) |
| \(v^2 = v_f^2 \,-\, 2a \Delta x\) |
| Circular Motion | Energy |
|---|---|
| \(F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}\) | \(KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2\) |
| \(a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}\) | \(PE = mgh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{r}{g}}\) | \(KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f\) |
| \(W = Fd \cos\theta\) |
| Momentum | Torque and Rotations |
|---|---|
| \(p = mv\) | \(\tau = r \cdot F \cdot \sin(\theta)\) |
| \(J = \Delta p\) | \(I = \sum mr^2\) |
| \(p_i = p_f\) | \(L = I \cdot \omega\) |
| Simple Harmonic Motion | Fluids |
|---|---|
| \(F = -kx\) | \(P = \frac{F}{A}\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}\) | \(P_{\text{total}} = P_{\text{atm}} + \rho gh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\) | \(Q = Av\) |
| \(x(t) = A \cos(\omega t + \phi)\) | \(F_b = \rho V g\) |
| \(a = -\omega^2 x\) | \(A_1v_1 = A_2v_2\) |
| Constant | Description |
|---|---|
| [katex]g[/katex] | Acceleration due to gravity, typically [katex]9.8 , \text{m/s}^2[/katex] on Earth’s surface |
| [katex]G[/katex] | Universal Gravitational Constant, [katex]6.674 \times 10^{-11} , \text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2[/katex] |
| [katex]\mu_k[/katex] and [katex]\mu_s[/katex] | Coefficients of kinetic ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) and static ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) friction, dimensionless. Static friction ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) is usually greater than kinetic friction ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) as it resists the start of motion. |
| [katex]k[/katex] | Spring constant, in [katex]\text{N/m}[/katex] |
| [katex] M_E = 5.972 \times 10^{24} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Earth |
| [katex] M_M = 7.348 \times 10^{22} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Moon |
| [katex] M_M = 1.989 \times 10^{30} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Sun |
| Variable | SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]s[/katex] (Displacement) | [katex]\text{meters (m)}[/katex] |
| [katex]v[/katex] (Velocity) | [katex]\text{meters per second (m/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]a[/katex] (Acceleration) | [katex]\text{meters per second squared (m/s}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]t[/katex] (Time) | [katex]\text{seconds (s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]m[/katex] (Mass) | [katex]\text{kilograms (kg)}[/katex] |
| Variable | Derived SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]F[/katex] (Force) | [katex]\text{newtons (N)}[/katex] |
| [katex]E[/katex], [katex]PE[/katex], [katex]KE[/katex] (Energy, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy) | [katex]\text{joules (J)}[/katex] |
| [katex]P[/katex] (Power) | [katex]\text{watts (W)}[/katex] |
| [katex]p[/katex] (Momentum) | [katex]\text{kilogram meters per second (kgm/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\omega[/katex] (Angular Velocity) | [katex]\text{radians per second (rad/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\tau[/katex] (Torque) | [katex]\text{newton meters (Nm)}[/katex] |
| [katex]I[/katex] (Moment of Inertia) | [katex]\text{kilogram meter squared (kgm}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]f[/katex] (Frequency) | [katex]\text{hertz (Hz)}[/katex] |
Metric Prefixes
Example of using unit analysis: Convert 5 kilometers to millimeters.
Start with the given measurement: [katex]\text{5 km}[/katex]
Use the conversion factors for kilometers to meters and meters to millimeters: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}}[/katex]
Perform the multiplication: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}} = 5 \times 10^3 \times 10^3 \, \text{mm}[/katex]
Simplify to get the final answer: [katex]\boxed{5 \times 10^6 \, \text{mm}}[/katex]
Prefix | Symbol | Power of Ten | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
Pico- | p | [katex]10^{-12}[/katex] | 0.000000000001 |
Nano- | n | [katex]10^{-9}[/katex] | 0.000000001 |
Micro- | µ | [katex]10^{-6}[/katex] | 0.000001 |
Milli- | m | [katex]10^{-3}[/katex] | 0.001 |
Centi- | c | [katex]10^{-2}[/katex] | 0.01 |
Deci- | d | [katex]10^{-1}[/katex] | 0.1 |
(Base unit) | – | [katex]10^{0}[/katex] | 1 |
Deca- or Deka- | da | [katex]10^{1}[/katex] | 10 |
Hecto- | h | [katex]10^{2}[/katex] | 100 |
Kilo- | k | [katex]10^{3}[/katex] | 1,000 |
Mega- | M | [katex]10^{6}[/katex] | 1,000,000 |
Giga- | G | [katex]10^{9}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000 |
Tera- | T | [katex]10^{12}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000,000 |
One price to unlock most advanced version of Phy across all our tools.
per month
Billed Monthly. Cancel Anytime.
We crafted THE Ultimate A.P Physics 1 Program so you can learn faster and score higher.
Try our free calculator to see what you need to get a 5 on the 2026 AP Physics 1 exam.
A quick explanation
Credits are used to grade your FRQs and GQs. Pro users get unlimited credits.
Submitting counts as 1 attempt.
Viewing answers or explanations count as a failed attempts.
Phy gives partial credit if needed
MCQs and GQs are are 1 point each. FRQs will state points for each part.
Phy customizes problem explanations based on what you struggle with. Just hit the explanation button to see.
Understand you mistakes quicker.
Phy automatically provides feedback so you can improve your responses.
10 Free Credits To Get You Started
By continuing you agree to nerd-notes.com Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and our usage of user data.
Feeling uneasy about your next physics test? We'll boost your grade in 3 lessons or less—guaranteed
NEW! PHY AI accurately solves all questions
🔥 Get up to 30% off Elite Physics Tutoring
🧠 NEW! Learn Physics From Scratch Self Paced Course
🎯 Need exam style practice questions?