1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Physics

Buoyancy

By Andrew Zimmerman Jones, About.com

Definition: Buoyancy is the phenomenon (discovered by Archimedes) that an object less dense than a fluid will float in the fluid. More generally, Archimedes' principle states that a fluid will exert an upward force on an object immersed in it equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.

Explore Physics

About.com Special Features

A Smarter Future

Tips that will help finance your education, excel in the classroom, and advance your career. More >

How to Ace the GRE

Being well prepared is the first step; here are more essential suggestions. More >

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Physics
  4. Physics Dictionary
  5. Physics: A to D
  6. Buoyancy - definition of buoyancy

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.