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Re: [Phys-l] buoyancy on a submerged pole

I don't understand this. There is no upward force being exerted on the bottom of the aquarium by the box. How could there be? What mechanism do you envision by which the box could possibly exert such a force?

John Mallinckrodt
Cal Poly Pomona

On Nov 3, 2010, at 5:41 PM, Chuck Britton wrote:

So what it boils down to is that you don't want to use word
'Buoyancy' to describe this upward force exerted by the empty box on
the bottom of the aquarium. That's your prerogative.


At 5:26 PM -0700 11/3/10, John Mallinckrodt wrote:
What Philip said... But in direct response to your question: As
long as the box had an average density different from that of water,
it would, of course, affect the flexion of the base of the aquarium
relative to what it would be with only water of the same depth. If
the box had a GREATER average density than water, than the base of
the aquarium would be subject to greater downward force (for the
simple reason that it would have to support more weight) and would
tend to flex MORE in the downward direction and vice versa.