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What causes a boat to float?

2 Answers

1 vote
The boat displaces an amount of water of equal mass, and the water exerts a buoyancy onto the boat equal to the mass of the water displaced. Since the boat has a lower density than the water, it floats. If a boat has a damaged hull and takes on water, it will sink once the water inside the boat reaches a level that brings the density of the boat equal to that of the water it displaces.

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User Adrien Delessert
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2 votes
A boat will float because it weighs less than the amount of water it displaces.
User Moli
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