Experiment 1: Fluid Statics

INTRODUCTION

The lab conducted three fluid statics laboratory experiments. The first part was an underwater weighting method using a hanging buoyant metal cylinder on a string attached to a computer force sensor. Following, part b employed a displaced fluid method in a water filled graduated cylinder, and weighted the over-spilled water in a scale. Lastly, the volume of object method utilized volume calculations to figure out the mass displaced, or otherwise known as the buoyancy force by the metal cylinder.  The purpose of this lab is to find the buoyant force acting on an object three different ways and see how their measurements compare to each other.

DATA

The underwater weight method had a buoyancy of 0.381N+/-0.002N,

followed by the displaced fluid method with a buoyancy of 0.373N+/-0.020N,

and the volume of object method resulted in 0.370N+/-0.035N.

All three of the results are within the acceptable error uncertainty of each other due to the fact that their values overlap in their range.

ANALYSIS

The most accurate method was the underwater weight method because it had the smallest uncertainty calculation. A small uncertainty from the calculations was due to the sensitivity of the computational readings of the hanging force from the tension of the string. This compared to the other two methods, had the best accurate results.

Additionally, if the weight was touching the bottom in part (a), underwater weight method, then the tension of the string hanging would have had a lower than expected downward force, resulting in an incorrect force value and therefore a non-precise buoyancy calculation method.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the fluid statics laboratory was carried out with much success due to the execution and ability to correctly calculate the uncertainties of each calculation method. It follows to say, the least amount of measurements used to reach a desired value, the most precise and accurate that it will be in relation to the true value.