A razor blade can be made to float on water. What forces act on this blade? Is Archimedes’* principle applicable?
Three forces are acting on the blade when it is made to float on water:
Weight of blade acting vertically downwards.
Reaction in blade exerted by the liquid surface acting vertically upwards.
Force of surface tension on circumference, of the blade acting tangentially to the liquid surface. In this case, as no portion of razor blade is immersed in water, hence Archimedes’* principle is not applicable.
