What principle describes the buoyant force acting on an object submerged in a fluid?

The principle that describes the buoyant force acting on an object submerged in a fluid is Archimedes' Law. This fundamental principle states that any object, when fully or partially immersed in a fluid, experiences an upward force that is equal to the weight of the fluid that is displaced by the object. Essentially, this means that the buoyant force is a result of the surrounding fluid pressing upward against the object.

Archimedes' Law is vital in explaining why objects float or sink when placed in fluids, depending on their density in relation to that of the fluid. If the density of the object is less than that of the fluid, the object will float; if it is more, the object will sink. This principle is essential in various applications, from ship design to understanding how aquatic life adapts to their environments.

In contrast, Bernoulli's Principle relates to the behavior of fluid flow and how pressure varies with speed, while Pascal's Principle deals with how pressure applied to a confined fluid is transmitted undiminished throughout the fluid. Newton's Laws of Motion govern the relationships between the motion of objects and the forces acting on them, which does not specifically pertain to buoyant forces in fluids.