How Do Ships Float Even Though They’re Heavy?

Ships float because they push the water out of the way, and the water pushes back. Imagine a ship like a big boat floating on a lake. When it goes in the water, it makes the water move, and that moving water helps keep it up. It’s like when you get into a bathtub, the water rises around you, but you still float.

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Examples

A small toy boat floats in a bathtub because it pushes water up around it.
A big ship can carry lots of cars and still float like it's barely touching the water.
When you put a rock in a glass of water, it sinks, but a ship is more like a floating rock made of air.

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Categories: Science · physics,buoyancy,ships