Final answer:
To make a high volume object that floats in water sink, one must increase its mass without significantly increasing its volume to increase its density above that of water. Density and buoyancy are the key concepts influencing this behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept in question is density, which plays a crucial role in determining whether an object floats or sinks in water. If a material has a high volume and floats in water, the way to make the object sink is to increase its mass without significantly increasing its volume, which in turn increases its density. An object sinks in water if its density is greater than the density of water (1.00 g/mL). One can adjust the mass by either adding more material or changing the material to one with a higher density. The concept of buoyancy is also relevant here, as it describes the force that allows objects to float or sink based on the displaced water's weight.
According to Archimedes' Principle, the buoyant force on an object submerged in a fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. Therefore, for an object to sink, its weight must be greater than the buoyant force. When an object like a wood block floats, it means that the buoyant force is greater than its weight due to the object's lower density compared to water. However, by increasing the mass of the wood block or changing its composition to a denser material, without increasing its volume too much, the density would increase, potentially making the object dense enough to sink.