[Phys-L] Re: Buoyancy question

[ajm at CSUPOMONA.EDU (John Mallinckrodt)]

Hassan wrote:

> I have a question pertaining to buoyancy phenomenon:
>
> What's the condition that a piece of iron released gently on the surface
> of water sink? Ignore surface tension.

Our Claire is in Antarctica now camping out a few hundred miles from
the pole on the Reedy glacier collecting rocks for her doctoral
research.  As she is literally SURROUNDED by water, we sent an
emergency cable to her to see if she could spare a few minutes for a
little physics study.  She reports that, as far as she can tell,
under NO circumstances whatsoever does iron--whether released gently
or otherwise on the surface of water--sink.

John "Slo" Mallinckrodt

Professor of Physics
Cal Poly Pomona

and

Lead Guitarist
Out-Laws of Physics