Why do boats float?
Boats float because the water pushes up on them as they push down.
Pip’s answer
- Boats float because the water pushes up on them as they push down.
- A boat's wide shape pushes lots of water out of the way.
- Boats are full of air inside, and air is very light.
- Wow-ee, even giant metal ships can float with the right shape!
Try it together
Can you rock side to side like a little boat?
For grown-ups
A boat floats when it pushes aside a weight of water equal to its own weight, an idea known as Archimedes' principle. A boat's wide, hollow shape displaces a lot of water while containing a lot of air, so even heavy steel ships float.
Ask your child: Can we make a foil boat float, then scrunch it into a ball and see?
More questions kids ask
- 🪨Why do some things sink?
- 🦆Why do ducks float?
- 🎈Why do balloons float away?
- 🍎Why do things fall down?
- 🧲Why do magnets stick?
- 🫧Why are bubbles round?
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