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2B40.10 - Buoyancy - Bowling Ball and Spring Scale
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Code Number: 2B40.10
Demo Title: Buoyancy - Bowling Ball and Spring Scale
Condition: Excellent
Area of Study: Fluids
Equipment: Spring Scale, Bowling Ball, and Water.
Procedure:
Hang the bowling ball from the spring scale. Slowly lower the ball into the tank of water until it is completely submerged. Observe the change in the spring scale readings.
A block of known mass may be used in place of the bowling ball. Place a beaker of water on the digital scale and then tare. Pick up the block with the spring scale and lower it into the water until it is completely submerged but not touching the bottom of the beaker. The mass shown on the digital scale should be equal to the mass lost by the spring scale.
For a discrepant event you can immerse a 6 to 9 lb. bowling ball in the water. Unlike the 15 lb. bowling ball which sinks, the 6 lb. bowling ball we have will float quite high in the water even though the two balls have the same diameter.
References:
- Paul Hewitt, "Answer to December Figuring Physics", TPT, Vol. 54, #1, Jan. 2016, p. 53.
- Paul Hewitt, "Figuring Physics: Going Deep", TPT, Vol. 53, #9, Dec. 2015, p. 517.
- J. Agostinho Moreira, A. Almeida, and P. Simeão Carvalho, "Two Experimental Approaches of Looking at Buoyancy", TPT, Vol. 51, #2, Feb. 2013, p. 96.
- Jelena Radovanovic and Josip Slisko, "Approximate Value of Buoyant Force: A Water-Filled Balloon Demonstration", TPT, Vol. 50, #7, Oct. 2012, p. 428.
- Concetto Gianino, "Microcomputer-Based Laboratory for Archimedes' Principle and Density of Liquids", TPT, Vol. 46, #1, Jan. 2008, p. 52.
- Irina Struganova, "A Spring, Hooke's Law, and Archimedes' Principle", TPT, Vol. 43, #8, Nov. 2005, p. 516.
- Erlend H. Graf, "Just What Did Archimedes Say About Buoyancy?", TPT, Vol. 42, #5, May 2004, p. 296.
- Jeffrey Bierman and Eric Kincanon, "Reconsidering Archimedes' Principle", TPT, Vol. 41, #6, Sept. 2003, p. 340.
- Dean S. Edmonds Jr., "Comments on the Buoyant Force", TPT, Vol. 40, #4, Apr. 2002, p. 196.
- Ellis D. Noll, "Confronting the Buoyant Force", TPT, Vol. 40, #1, Jan. 2002, p. 8.
- Paul L. Willems, "Specific Gravity with Electronic Balances", TPT, Vol. 36, #1, Jan. 1998, p. 10.
- Iain MacInnes and Rory McPherson, "An Illustration of Newton's Third Law", TPT, Vol. 34, #7, Oct. 1996, p. 400.
- Eric Kincanon, "Explanation of a Buoyancy Demonstration", TPT, Vol. 33, #1, Jan. 1995, p. 31.
- Ronald A. Hultsch, "An Application of Archimedes’ Principle: Eureka! I'm 28% Fat", TPT, Vol. 19, #6, Sept. 1981, p. 408.
- Robert Ehrlich, "H.9. Lowering a Weight Into a Liquid", Turning the World Inside Out and 174 Other Simple Physics Demonstrations, p. 104 - 105.
- "Fluid Statics", Harvard Instructional Physics Labs.
- Tik L. Liem, "What Is The Rock's S. G.", Invitations to Science Inquiry - Supplement to 1st and 2nd Ed. p. 144.
Video Credit: Jonathan M. Sullivan-Wood