To make clay float, you need to shape it specifically rather than leaving it as a solid mass. While a compact ball or sausage shape will sink, the key is to create a shape that displaces enough water to support the clay's weight.
The reference states that making the clay into an elongated trough is effective for making it float.
Effective Shapes for Floating Clay
Based on the provided information, the successful shapes resemble vessels designed to sit on water:
- Elongated Trough: This shape, open at the top and typically longer than wide, increases the volume of water the clay displaces without increasing the amount of clay.
- Soup Bowl Shape: The reference compares the elongated trough to a soup bowl, suggesting a shape with sides that curve upwards, creating a large surface area relative to its mass.
- Cargo Ship Shape: Described as the shape that "works best," this implies a form that is long and thin with high sides. This maximizes buoyancy by enclosing a large volume of air (or simply empty space) above the water line while maintaining a stable base.
Why Shape Matters
When you change the clay's shape from a solid lump to a hollow or trough-like form, you increase the overall volume it occupies, including the space inside the shape. If this total volume is large enough to displace a volume of water that weighs more than the clay itself, the clay shape will float.
Consider the contrast:
| Shape | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Compact Ball | Sinks |
| Sausage Shape | Sinks |
| Elongated Trough | Floats |
| Cargo Ship Shape | Floats |
Creating the Floating Shape
To replicate the successful shapes mentioned:
- Take a piece of clay.
- Instead of rolling it into a ball, flatten it slightly and then carefully raise the edges to form a wall, creating an open cavity in the center.
- Extend this shape to be longer than it is wide, resembling a miniature boat hull or trough.
- Ensure the sides are high enough to prevent water from easily entering the shape.
By distributing the clay's mass over a larger area and creating a shape that encloses volume, you enable the clay to float, similar to how large ships made of dense materials stay afloat.
(Note: The provided reference does not include external links for further information on buoyancy principles.)
