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Question
What is the cause of upthrust? At which point can it be considered to act?
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Solution
A liquid contained in a vessel exerts pressure at all points and in all directions. The pressure at a point in a liquid is the same in all directions - upwards, downwards and sideways. It increases with the depth inside the liquid.
When a body is immersed in a liquid, the thrusts acting on the side walls of the body are neutralized as they are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. However, the magnitudes of pressure on the upper and lower faces are not equal. The difference in pressure on the upper and lower faces cause a net upward force (= pressure x area) or upthrust on the body.
It acts at the centre of buoyancy.
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