Question

The liquid in which iron can float is.
A). Water.
B). Kerosene.
C). Mercury.
D). Glycerine.

Answer 1

To proceed in this question, we need to know that any object that can float, only if the buoyancy force exerted on it by the fluid balances its weight. That is possible if the density of the liquid is more than the floating object due to which the buoyancy force will increase and the object will float now solve accordingly.

Complete step by step answer:
Heavy objects can float in liquid mercury because of it’s high density. The liquid metal, mercury, make for dramatic demonstrations of density and buoyancy.
Heavy object such as bricks and dumb bells in a sufficiently large container of mercury floats because its density is greater than that of floating objects.
Also, an object will float if the buoyancy force exerted on it by the fluid balances its weight, i.e. if FB=mg. FB = mg shows that the upward buoyant force is equal in magnitude to the weight of the displaced fluid. This is known as Archimedes Principle. Remember that the upward buoyant force is equal in magnitude to the weight of the displaced fluid. This is as given by FB = mg (where m = the mass of the fluid and g is gravitational acceleration)
Hence, the liquid in which iron can float is mercury.

So, the correct answer is “Option C”.

Note: In this type of question where the floating of an object is asked then we should know the condition of floating and the density of the liquid which plays an important role in finding that the object given will either float or sink in it. Like here mercury has very high density due to which iron will float on it.