Does copper float?
Does copper float?
No
8,960 kg/m³ against water's 1,000
Copper sinks. At 8,960 kg/m³ it is 8.96 times denser than water.
Why
Floating is decided by density alone — mass divided by volume — compared against the fluid. Weight has nothing to do with it directly: a 200-tonne ship floats and a 2-gram pebble sinks, because the ship encloses enough air to bring its average density below that of water. That is also the only reason a steel hull works.
The numbers
- Density
- 8,960 kg/m³
- Relative to fresh water
- 8.960×
- Floats in fresh water
- No
- Floats in seawater
- No
Compared with other materials
| Material | Density | Floats |
|---|---|---|
| ductile iron | 7,100 kg/m³ | No |
| zinc | 7,140 kg/m³ | No |
| gray cast iron | 7,150 kg/m³ | No |
| chromium | 7,190 kg/m³ | No |
| pewter | 7,300 kg/m³ | No |
| tin | 7,310 kg/m³ | No |
| lead-free solder (SAC305) | 7,380 kg/m³ | No |
| wrought iron | 7,700 kg/m³ | No |
| tool steel | 7,800 kg/m³ | No |
| high-carbon steel | 7,850 kg/m³ | No |
Common questions
- Does copper float in water?
- No — at 8,960 kg/m³ it is denser than water's 1,000.
- Does weight decide whether something floats?
- No, density does. A 200-tonne ship floats and a small pebble sinks, because the ship encloses enough air to bring its average density below water.
Related pages
- Copper properties Density, melting point, strength
- Does air float? Yes
- Does expanded polystyrene foam float? Yes
- Does rigid polyurethane foam float? Yes
- Does EVA foam float? Yes
- Does balsa float? Yes
- Does corrugated cardboard float? Yes
- Does cork float? Yes
- Does western red cedar float? Yes
Sources
- Wikidata — Wikimedia Foundation (CC0 1.0)