Which force acts upward against gravity when an object is submerged?

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The buoyant force is the upward force that acts against gravity when an object is submerged in a fluid. This force is caused by the pressure difference between the top and bottom of the submerged object, which results from the fluid's weight. According to Archimedes' principle, the buoyant force acting on an object is equal to the weight of the fluid that the object displaces.

When an object is placed in a fluid, it experiences an upward push due to the fluid's pressure at different depths. This upward force counteracts the downward pull of gravity (the weight of the object), allowing the object to float or rise within the fluid, depending on its density relative to that of the fluid.

In contrast, the weight of an object acts downward and is the gravitational force pulling it toward the center of the Earth. Density and volume, while related to buoyancy, do not directly act as forces. Density is a measure of mass per unit volume and influences whether an object will sink or float, while volume refers to the amount of space an object occupies but does not exert a force. Thus, the buoyant force is the key factor that enables an object to overcome the pull of gravity when submerged.

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