Thread: Ship in a bath tub

Imagine there is a very large bath tub. Suppose a ship is placed inside it such that there is a centimetre - thick layer of water between itself and the tub.

Will the ship still float ?

I know it's a crazy situation, but still.....

I would have to go for no. If the boat is heavy enough to push the water up and around its sides to create a layer between itself and the tub, then it would be too heavy for such a small amount of water to stop it hitting the bottom.

this is just my hunch... i'm not a scientist

It all depends upon mass. If the water weights the same as the ship after only a centimeter-thick layer is left, then the ship will float nonetheless. It's our good ole' Archymedes, "a body submerged into water will displace a mass of water equal to its weight". If the mass has already been displaced yet still there is a centimeter of water left, then the ship is floating for sure. And if we just don't know, the ship will float if the water weighs the same as it, else the ship will displace that last centimeter and hit the tub.