Question

Does any metal float?

Answer 1

Hint:Any compound that has density less than water will float. Basically, anything that is heavier than water will sink down and anything which is lighter that water will on it. Now, we can easily solve the question.

Complete step-by-step answer:- Alkali metals react vigorously with water to form metal hydroxide and hydrogen gas. Metals such as lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium.
- These metals are able to float on water because they are very light in weight and react very aggressively with water to form hydrogen gas which helps them to float in water.
- Sodium and potassium react rapidly with water but float on water. Lithium reacts less vigorously with water than sodium and potassium, suggesting an exothermic process.
- Lithium, sodium, and potassium have low densities and float on water. Whereas cesium is a dense metal and sink in water.
- The phenomenon that allows any object to float is called buoyant force. It is the upward force exerted by an object when an object is partly or fully immersed in a fluid.
- The buoyant force makes a body appear lighter when immersed in fluid partially or completely.

Note:Let us take an example of a ship. It is made up of metal and the overall density of a ship is less than that of the sea. This is because of the hollow-like structure of the ship. The volume of the water displaced by the ship gives equal weight to the ship. The buoyant force is large to give support to the ship and make it float.