Practice Problems
Hydrostatics
Directions:
On this worksheet you will practice basic relationships involved in your study of hydrostatics.
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Question 1
A 412-gram piece of metal (specific gravity = 9) is suspended from a spring scale and is submerged in water. What force does the spring scale read?
3.589 N
4.486 N
4.486 N
4.038 N
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Question 2
Two objects labeled K and L have equal mass but densities of 0.95D
o
and D
o
, respectively. Each of these objects floats after being thrown into a deep swimming pool. Which is true about the buoyant forces acting on these objects?
The buoyant force is greater on Object K since it has a lower density and displaces more water.
The buoyant forces are equal on the objects since they have equal mass.
The buoyant force is greater on Object L since it is denser than K and therefore 'heavier.'
The buoyant force is greater on Object K since it has lower density and lower density objects always float 'higher' in the fluid
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Question 3
The experimental diving bell shown below is lowered from rest at the ocean’s surface and reaches a maximum depth of 110 meters. During the descent, the pressure inside the bell remains constant at 1 atmosphere. The top of the bell has a cross-sectional area A = 9.0 m
2
. The density of seawater is 1025 kg/m
3
.
When the bell reaches the ocean bottom what will the minimum force to open the hatch if it has a radius of 0.27 meters?
2.76 x 10
5
N
2.31 x 10
4
N
2.53 x 10
5
N
2.3 x 10
5
N
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Question 4
A large rectangular raft is floating on a lake. The surface area of the top of the raft is 9 m
2
. If the raft has a total volume of 2.7 m
3
and is composed of a material having a density of 679 kg/m
3
, how much of the raft's height is underwater?
0.679 meters
0.204 meters
0.300 meters
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Question 5
How many 81-kg people can safely sit on the raft in
Question #4
without the top of the raft sinking below the surface of the water?
2 passenger(s)
3 passenger(s)
10 passenger(s)
14 passenger(s)
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Question 6
Three objects of identical mass attached to strings are suspended in a large tank of liquid, as shown below. Rank the densities of the masses from greatest to smallest.
A = B = C
B > A > C
C > A > B
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Question 7
A gas is confined in an enclosed cylinder has a density of 2.7 g/cm
3
. The radius of the cylinder is adjusted until it is 5 times as large while its length is 1/6 as great, how will the density of the confined gas change?
11.25 g/cm
3
0.65 g/cm
3
11.25 g/cm
3
2.25 g/cm
3
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