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Why does wood float but nails sink?

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Answer: Density determines floating

Density determines floatingCorrect! Wood has lower density than water (lots of air spaces in cells), so it floats. Iron nails are much denser than water, so they sink. An object floats if it's less dense than the liquid!

Wood repels water moleculesWrong. Wood actually absorbs water—it doesn't repel it. Floating is about density: wood is less dense than water.

Metal attracts water downWrong. There's no magnetic-like attraction. Sinking is purely about density—the nail is denser than water.

Go deeper: Density · Buoyancy
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