Does the volume of an object alone determine whether it will float or sink in a fluid?

• A. No, both the object's $density$ and the fluid's $density$ are required to determine if it will float or sink.
• B. Yes, only the $volume$ matters; $mass$ and $density$ are irrelevant.
• C. No, only the object's $mass$ determines if it will float or sink.
• D. Yes, a larger $volume$ always means the object will float.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that whether an object floats or sinks depends on the comparison between the object's density and the fluid's density, not just the object's volume alone.
2. Recall the definition of density: \(\text{density} = \frac{\text{mass}}{\text{volume}}\); both mass and volume contribute to density.
3. Apply Archimedes' principle, which states that the buoyant force on an object submerged in a fluid equals the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.
4. Determine that if the object's density is less than the fluid's density, the buoyant force will be greater than the object's weight, causing it to float; if greater, it will sink.
5. Conclude that both the object's density (which depends on mass and volume) and the fluid's density are necessary to predict floating or sinking, so volume alone is insufficient.