GCSE Physics (OCR A)

Topic Summaries

Pressure

Upthrust

  • The pressure on the bottom surface of a submerged object will be greater than the pressure on the top surface. This pressure difference results in a force called upthrust.
  • This upthrust will try to push the object upwards to the surface of the liquid.
  • The size of the upthrust force is equal to the weight of the fluid that has been displaced by the object.
  • An object will float if the upthrust force is greater than its weight.
    • Objects with densities greater than that of the liquid will sink.
    • Objects with densities less than that of the liquid will float on the liquid’s surface, partially submerged. How much of the object is submerged depends on how dense it is compared to the liquid.

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