Why does a cork float in water while an iron nail sinks?

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

RRB JE CBT I - (Held On: 30 May 2019 Shift 1)

Answer 1

The correct answer is Due to the difference in their densities

Key Points

A cork floats in water because it has a lower density compared to water.
Density is defined as mass per unit volume. Objects with lower density than the fluid they are in will float.
An iron nail sinks because its density is higher than that of water.
The buoyant force acting on an object in a fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. If this force is less than the weight of the object, the object will sink.

Additional Information

The principle of buoyancy is described by Archimedes' principle, which states that any object, wholly or partially immersed in a fluid, is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.
Materials with high density have more mass packed into the same volume compared to materials with low density.
Understanding density and buoyancy has practical applications in designing ships, submarines, and even in understanding natural phenomena like icebergs floating in the ocean.