Final answer:
The statement that buoyant force is always equal to the object's weight is false; it actually equals the weight of the fluid displaced by the object according to Archimedes' principle.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that 'buoyant force is always equal to the weight of the object' is false. The buoyant force on an object in a fluid can equal the weight of the object, but it does not always do so. According to Archimedes' principle, the buoyant force is actually equal to the weight of the fluid that the object displaces. If the buoyant force is greater than the object's weight, the object will float. If it is less, the object will sink. If the buoyant force exactly equals the object's weight, then the object can remain neutrally buoyant, suspended in the fluid.