Question

connecting buoyancy with displacement
which material will displace a volume of water?
which material will displace a volume of water less than its own volume?
which material will displace a volume of water equal to its own volume?
which material will displace a volume of water greater than its own volume?

metal	density (g/cm³)
cork	0.24
iron	7.50
lead	11.34
wax	0.72

Explanation:

Step1: Recall buoyancy principle

An object will displace water. If density of object $
ho_{object}>
ho_{water}(
ho_{water} = 1\ g/cm^{3})$, it will displace water equal to its volume when fully - submerged. If $
ho_{object}<
ho_{water}$, it will float and displace less water than its volume.

Step2: Analyze each material

Aluminum ($
ho = 2.64\ g/cm^{3}$), Iron ($
ho = 7.50\ g/cm^{3}$), Lead ($
ho = 11.34\ g/cm^{3}$) have densities greater than water. Cork ($
ho = 0.24\ g/cm^{3}$) and Wax ($
ho = 0.72\ g/cm^{3}$) have densities less than water.

Step3: Answer the questions

• All materials will displace a volume of water. So the answer for "Which material will displace a volume of water?" is Aluminum, Cork, Iron, Lead, Wax.
• Cork and Wax will displace a volume of water less than their own volume as their densities are less than water.
• Aluminum, Iron, Lead will displace a volume of water equal to their own volume as their densities are greater than water.
• No material in the list will displace a volume of water greater than its own volume.

Answer:

• Which material will displace a volume of water? Aluminum, Cork, Iron, Lead, Wax
• Which material will displace a volume of water less than its own volume? Cork, Wax
• Which material will displace a volume of water equal to its own volume? Aluminum, Iron, Lead
• Which material will displace a volume of water greater than its own volume? None of the above