Which type of material will displace a volume of water greater than its own volume when fully submerged?

• A. A material more dense than water
• B. A material less dense than water
• C. A material with the same density as water
• D. A material that floats on water

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of buoyancy and displacement: When an object is submerged in a fluid, it displaces a volume of fluid equal to the volume of the object submerged.
2. Recall Archimedes' principle, which states that the buoyant force on an object is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.
3. Consider the density of the material relative to water: Density is mass per unit volume, and it determines whether an object sinks or floats in water.
4. If a material is less dense than water, it will float. To float, it must displace a volume of water whose weight equals the weight of the object, which means the volume of displaced water is greater than the volume of the object itself.
5. Therefore, a material that floats on water (less dense than water) displaces a volume of water greater than its own volume when fully submerged.