Final answer:
The buoyant force on an object floating in both water and oil will differ due to the differing densities; it will be less in oil than in water since more volume must be displaced for the object to float in the less dense fluid.
Step-by-step explanation:
The buoyant force experienced by an object that can float in both water and oil is not equal in water and in oil. The key principle here is that the buoyant force acting on an object submerged in a fluid equals the weight of the fluid that is displaced by the object. Since the density of oil is less than that of water, the object will displace a greater volume of oil to equal its weight compared to water. Therefore, the buoyant force in oil will be less than in water because the oil's lower density means that a larger volume must be displaced for the object to float.
Buoyant force is always present when an object is in a fluid, regardless of whether the object floats, sinks or remains suspended. Pressure in a fluid increases with depth, creating a net upward force on the object. If the average density of an object is less than the fluid in which it is submerged, it will float due to this buoyant force.