An empty storage tank has a volume of 5,850 ft3. What is the buoyant force exerted on it by the air? (Assume the air is at 0°C and 1 atm.)

Answer 1

Buoyant force (Bf) can be found with the equation Bf= -(fluid density)*(fluid volume)*g.

The fluid density of air at STP is 1.225 kg/m^3. The volume of the tank is 5850 ft^3, which can be converted to standard units with the conversion (cubic ft=(cubic m)*35.315). Therefore, the volume of the tank in cubic meters is about 165.65 cm^3.

Now that we have the fluid density and volume in SI units, and we know that g=9.8 m/s^2, we can plug these values into the equation to get:

Bf=-(1.225)(165.65)(9.8)=about -1988.67 N.