How Does Depth Affect the Buoyant Force on a Submerged Beach Ball?

[whattheheckV]

A beach ball is made of thin plastic. It has been inflated with air, but the plastic is not stretched. By swimming with fins on, you manage to take the ball from the surface of a pool to the bottom. Once the ball is completely submerged, what happens to the buoyant force exerted on the beach ball as you take it deeper?



Now I know that Archimedes' principal states that the buoyant force is equal to the weight of the displaced water. This is a multiple choice question and I choose that the buoyant force remains the same, and it said i was wrong. All help appreciated.

 

[NascentOxygen]

Hi whattheheckV. http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/5725/red5e5etimes5e5e45e5e25.gif

Pearl divers found that the deeper they went, the greater the pressure.

 

[cheah10]

I'll give you a tip: gas is compressible.

 

[Chestermiller]

Hi WhattheheckV. Welcome to Physics Forums!

If a submarine goes too deep, its hull gets crushed. As you go deeper with the beach ball, its surface starts to wrinkle and buckle, and, as a result, its volume decreases. (If the beach ball were rigid, its volume wouldn't change, the buoyant force would remain constant).

Chet

 

[HalfLostAndSearching]

I would like to clarify that the buoyant force on the beach ball does not remain the same as it is taken deeper into the water. As the ball is submerged, the volume of water that is being displaced by the ball decreases, which in turn decreases the buoyant force acting on the ball. This is because the buoyant force is dependent on the volume of water displaced. Therefore, as the ball is taken deeper, the buoyant force decreases.

Additionally, the weight of the beach ball also plays a role in determining the buoyant force. As the ball is taken deeper, the weight of the ball increases due to the increasing pressure from the water, which further decreases the net buoyant force acting on the ball.

It is important to note that the buoyant force will never completely disappear as long as the ball is submerged, as there will always be some volume of water being displaced. However, the buoyant force will decrease as the ball is taken deeper into the water.

I hope this helps clarify any confusion and provides a better understanding of buoyancy and the effects of submerging an object in a fluid.