# Calculating Buoyancy

• Oct 13th 2009, 09:32 PM
rhyster
Calculating Buoyancy
Hi

Does anyone know how to calculate how much volume of air is required to make an object buoyant?

I'm about to construct a floating golf green and would like to know how much volume of air will be required to make it float. Is there a simple equation that could give me this volume? I'd like to go about this scientifically rather than just shoving random numbers of air tight containers underneath!

What measurements do I require other than the mass of the object? I think this will be approximately 150kg.

• Oct 13th 2009, 09:50 PM
earboth
Quote:

Originally Posted by rhyster
Hi

Does anyone know how to calculate how much volume of ballast is required to make an object buoyant?

I'm about to construct a floating golf green and would like to know how much ballast I would need to make it buoyant. I want to know how much volume of air will be required to make it float. Is there a simple equation that could give me this volume? I'd like to go about this scientifically rather than just shoving random numbers of air tight containers underneath!

What measurements do I require other than the mass of the object? I think this will be approximately 150kg.

2. Since the ratio of water $\dfrac{mass\ in\ kg}{volume\ in\ dm^3} = 1$ you must only make the volume sufficiently large. With your example: With a mass of 150 kg you need at least a allover volume of 150 dm³.