A weightless plastic bag is filled with 5 kg of water and then weighed...
The reading of the spring balance when a weightless plastic bag filled with 5 kg of water is weighed in water can be explained as follows:1. Understanding the concept of buoyancy:
Buoyancy is the upward force exerted by a fluid on an immersed object. According to Archimedes' principle, the buoyant force experienced by an object is equal to the weight of the fluid it displaces.
2. When the plastic bag is filled with water:
When the weightless plastic bag is filled with 5 kg of water, the total weight of the bag and the water inside it is 5 kg. However, when the bag is immersed in water, it displaces an amount of water equal to its own volume.
3. The buoyant force:
The buoyant force acting on the plastic bag filled with water is equal to the weight of the water it displaces. Since the volume of the bag is the same as the volume of water it displaces, the buoyant force is equal to the weight of 5 kg of water.
4. The reading on the spring balance:
The spring balance measures the force exerted on it. In this case, the reading on the spring balance will be equal to the net force acting on the bag.
Since the buoyant force acting on the bag is equal to the weight of 5 kg of water, and the weight of the bag and water is also 5 kg, the net force acting on the bag is zero. Therefore, the reading on the spring balance will be
Zero.
5. Explanation:
When the plastic bag filled with water is weighed in water, the buoyant force acting on it is equal to its weight. This means that the bag experiences an equal and opposite force due to buoyancy, which cancels out the force due to gravity. Hence, the net force acting on the bag is zero, resulting in a reading of zero on the spring balance.