Archimedes' Principle

Have you ever noticed that when you climb into the bathtub, the water goes up, up, up. That's me. I am the reason your little rubber ducky bobs on top of the water instead of sinking to the bottom. I am a playful, splashy secret. I am the gentle push that water gives to everything in it. Before anyone knew my name, I was just a fun little mystery in every puddle, pond, and bathtub. I helped big, heavy boats float on top of the waves, but nobody knew how I did it.

A very, very long time ago, way back in the 3rd century BCE, a super smart man named Archimedes met me. A king asked him a tricky question. The king wanted to know if his shiny crown was made of real, pure gold without breaking it. Archimedes thought and thought about this big puzzle. One day, he decided to take a bath. As he lowered himself into the big tub, he watched the water splash right out onto the floor. Suddenly, he understood. He jumped up and shouted, 'Eureka.' That means 'I found it.' He realized that the amount of water that splashed out was the key. He could put the crown in water to figure out the secret. That is when people finally understood me, and they gave me a special name, Archimedes' Principle.

Because that smart man Archimedes told everyone about me, people learned how to use my secret push to do amazing things. I help giant, heavy ships float across the big blue ocean, carrying yummy bananas and fun toys all over the world for everyone to share. I help submarines dive deep down to see the fishes and then pop right back up to the top. I even help you float in the swimming pool when you wear your bright, colorful floaties. I am a special push from the water, and I am here to make swimming, splashing, and sailing fun and safe for you.