What is buoyant force?

Buoyant force is the upward push a fluid gives to an object placed in it. When you put something in a liquid or gas, the fluid pushes up on it. This upward push is called the buoyant force. It is why objects feel lighter in water and why ships float. 

The size of this force depends on how much fluid is displaced by the object. This idea is known as Archimedes’ principle.