Archimedes' principle
Archimedes' principle (also spelled Archimedes's principle) states that the upward buoyant force that is exerted on a body immersed in a fluid, whether fully or partially, is equal to the weight of the fluid that the body displaces.[1] Archimedes' principle is a law of physics fundamental to fluid mechanics. It was formulated by Archimedes of Syracuse.[2]
This article is about fluid dynamics. For the algebraic axiom, see Archimedean property.Refinements
Archimedes' principle does not consider the surface tension (capillarity) acting on the body.[4] Moreover, Archimedes' principle has been found to break down in complex fluids.[5]
There is an exception to Archimedes' principle known as the bottom (or side) case. This occurs when a side of the object is touching the bottom (or side) of the vessel it is submerged in, and no liquid seeps in along that side. In this case, the net force has been found to be different from Archimedes' principle, owing to the fact that since no fluid seeps in on that side, the symmetry of pressure is broken.[6]
