Question

caleb made a sailboat with a piece of wood and a leaf. why will the wood float on the water? the wood has a greater density than the water. the densities of the water and the wood are the same. wood never floats on water. the wood has a lower density than the water.

Explanation:

To determine why the wood floats, we use the principle of density and buoyancy: an object floats in a fluid if its density is less than the fluid's density. Water has a density of approximately \(1\ \text{g/cm}^3\), and wood typically has a lower density than water.

• The first option is incorrect because a higher density than water would cause the wood to sink.
• The second option is incorrect because equal densities would result in neutral buoyancy (neither floating nor sinking), not floating.
• The third option is incorrect as many types of wood do float on water.
• The fourth option is correct because a lower density than water means the buoyant force (equal to the weight of displaced water) is greater than the wood’s weight, allowing it to float.

Answer:

The wood has a lower density than the water.