Center of Buoyancy is defined as which of the following?

Center of Buoyancy is defined as which of the following?

• A. Geometric center of body below the waterline
• B. Geometric center of the entire body
• C. Geometric center of the portion of the body above the waterline
• D. A point where buoyant and gravitational forces act through

Answer: (A)

Center of Buoyancy is the centroid of the displaced fluid volume. In other words, it’s the geometric center of the portion of the body that is submerged. The buoyant force acts upward through this point, as dictated by Archimedes’ principle. It isn’t the center of the entire body, nor the portion above the waterline, and it isn’t a single point where buoyant and gravitational forces necessarily meet—the weight acts through the center of gravity, which is a different point.

Center of Buoyancy is the centroid of the displaced fluid volume. In other words, it’s the geometric center of the portion of the body that is submerged. The buoyant force acts upward through this point, as dictated by Archimedes’ principle. It isn’t the center of the entire body, nor the portion above the waterline, and it isn’t a single point where buoyant and gravitational forces necessarily meet—the weight acts through the center of gravity, which is a different point.