Why Does a Coin Sink but a Cruise Ship Floats?

By Alice Nichols

When something floats or sinks in water, it is largely due to the concept of buoyancy. Buoyancy is a physical phenomena that is a result of the pressure difference between an object and the liquid it is in.

In other words, when an object is placed in a liquid, the force of the liquid pushes against it. Depending on the weight of the object and the resistance of the liquid, either it will sink or float.

To understand why a coin sinks but a cruise ship floats, we need to compare their respective densities. Density is simply defined as mass per unit volume.

The higher an object’s density relative to another, the more likely it will sink. A coin has a much higher density than water; therefore, when it is placed in water, it sinks due to its greater mass per unit volume.

Cruise ships are much larger than coins and have a much larger mass per unit volume than water. However, they are still able to float due to their specially designed hulls which provide greater buoyancy than their weight. This allows them to remain afloat despite their heavy weight.

In addition to their hulls, cruise ships also contain several large air-filled tanks which help them stay afloat. These tanks are filled with air and increase their overall buoyancy so they can remain afloat even when they are carrying heavy loads.

Conclusion:

The reason why a coin sinks but a cruise ship floats is because of their respective densities. The coin has a higher density than water and thus sinks when placed in it while the cruise ship has specially designed hulls and air-filled tanks that allow it to float despite its heavier weight.