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According to Archimedes' principle, what equals an object's buoyant force?

It equals the weight of displaced fluid.

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  1. Object's volume
  2. Weight of displaced fluid ✔
  3. Pressure at the surface

Why: Pressure is greater on the lower surface than on the upper surface, creating a net upward force. Its magnitude equals the weight of the fluid displaced.

Huh, didn't know that: A sinking object still experiences buoyancy, even though buoyancy is smaller than its weight.

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Archimedes made a splash in fluid mechanics.
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References

Answer: Weight of displaced fluid. Pressure is greater on the lower surface than on the upper surface, creating a net upward force. Its magnitude equals the weight of the fluid displaced.

  1. OpenStax University Physics Volume 1, Archimedes' Principle and Buoyancy openstax.org/books/university-physics-volume-1/pages/14-4-archimedes-principle-and-buoyancy
    The buoyant force on an object equals the weight of the fluid it displaces.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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