Question

A small ball of relative density 0.8 falls into water from a height of 2 m. Calculate the depth (in meters) to which the ball will sink, neglecting viscous forces.

(a) 0.8 m
(b) 1.2 m
(c) 1.6 m
(d) 2.0 m

Answer 1

The ball with a relative density of 0.8 will not sink in water but float because its density is less than that of the water.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student is asking about the depth to which a small ball with relative density 0.8 will sink when dropped into water from a height, neglecting viscous forces. To provide an answer to this, we need to consider the principle of buoyancy and how it relates to the relative density (also known as specific gravity). The relative density of an object is the ratio of its density to the density of water.

Since the relative density of the ball is 0.8, it is less dense than water, meaning it will float. When the object is dropped from a height, it may momentarily submerge to a certain depth due to momentum from the fall, but it will ultimately rise and float on the surface of the water because its relative density indicates that it is not as dense as water. Therefore, the ball will not sink to any depth and will eventually float, making all the options (a) 0.8 m, (b) 1.2 m, (c) 1.6 m, and (d) 2.0 m incorrect in this context.