principle of liquid displacement
- noun
- /ˈprɪnsəpəl əv ˈlɪkwɪd dɪsˈpleɪsmənt/
- Specialized
:
principio de desplazamiento de líquidos
- She demonstrated the principle of liquid displacement by submerging a stone and measuring the water overflow.
Examples
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When designing submarines, engineers rely on the principle of liquid displacement to control buoyancy.
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The principle of liquid displacement explains why boats float.
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The principle of liquid displacement is fundamental to understanding why objects float or sink.
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According to the principle of liquid displacement, objects sink or float based on their density.
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She demonstrated the principle of liquid displacement by submerging a stone and measuring the water overflow.
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The principle of liquid displacement is essential for understanding how objects behave when placed in water.
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In science class, we learned that the principle of liquid displacement helps predict the buoyancy of various objects.
Surface Forms
Morphology
principle + of + liquid + displacement
This is a regular compositional noun phrase: 'principle' (a foundational rule) of 'liquid displacement' (the displacement/movement of a liquid). A B1 learner who knows 'principle', 'liquid' and 'displacement' can infer it refers to the rule governing how liquids are displaced (e.g. why objects displace liquid and float), and the same construction is expressed similarly in many languages, so the meaning is predictable from the parts.
Etymology
The principle of liquid displacement comes from a famous story about Archimedes: one popular story says he saw bath water overflow when he stepped in and shouted 'Eureka!'. He understood that his body pushed out the same amount of water — the liquid was displaced — and that idea explains 'why things float or sink'.
