Final answer:
Using the principle of buoyancy, the volume of the submerged part of the wooden block in water is 0.6 m³, since the block's weight equals the weight of the displaced water.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question requires the application of the principle of buoyancy to determine the volume of a wooden block submerged in water. When an object is placed in a fluid, it displaces a volume of the fluid equal to the volume of the object that is submerged. The buoyant force acting on the object is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced. For an object floating in equilibrium, the weight of the displaced fluid (buoyant force) is equal to the weight of the object. Using the formula for density (ρ = mass/volume), we can calculate the density of the wooden block which is 600 kg / 2 m³ = 300 kg/m³. Since the density of water is 1000 kg/m³, the wood is less dense than water; thus, it will float.
To find the volume of the block submerged (Vsubmerged), we set up the equation for the buoyant force: weight of the block = weight of the water displaced. Translating weights into masses (because weight is mass times gravity, and gravity cancels out on both sides), we get mass of the block = mass of the water displaced. Therefore, the volume of the block submerged will be equal to the mass of the block divided by the density of water, because the density of water (1000 kg/m³) is used to convert the 'weight' of water to volume. So Vsubmerged = 600 kg / 1000 kg/m³ = 0.6 m³.