Final answer:
When an iron anchor is submerged in saltwater, it experiences an upward buoyant force that partially supports its weight. The fraction of the anchor’s weight supported by buoyant force can be calculated using Archimedes’ principle. The exact fraction will depend on the density of the iron anchor and the density of the saltwater.
Step-by-step explanation:
When an iron anchor is submerged in saltwater, it experiences an upward buoyant force that partially supports its weight. The fraction of an anchor’s weight supported by buoyant force can be calculated using Archimedes’ principle. Archimedes’ principle states that the buoyant force acting on a submerged object is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.
To find the fraction of the anchor’s weight supported by buoyant force, we need to compare the weight of the anchor to the weight of the fluid it displaces. Since the anchor is made of iron, its weight is higher than the weight of the same volume of water. Therefore, the fraction of the anchor’s weight supported by buoyant force will be less than 1.
The exact fraction will depend on the density of the iron anchor and the density of the saltwater. We can use the formula:
Fb/W = ρfluid/ρobject
where Fb is the buoyant force, W is the weight of the object, ρfluid is the density of the fluid, and ρobject is the density of the object.
Since the anchor is partially submerged and not fully submerged, we would need more information to determine the exact fraction of the anchor’s weight supported by buoyant force.