Why do Boats Float?
Archimedes' Principle, and why boats float.
Floating Physics
Duration: 2:20
Views: 1224
In this film, we explain Archimedes’ Principle — a fundamental law of physics — before demonstrating it and also exploring its wider applications and implications on society.
One of the biggest challenges in film-making is working out how to film something you can’t point a camera at. Either because it doesn’t exist, or it’s too horrific to show, or whatever. In this case, there’s a clear problem: how do you show a naked man running down the street, when frankly, we don’t want to see that?
This team have picked absolutely the correct solution: they’ve shown peoples’ reactions to the (imagined, off-screen) action. It’s a huge cheat, but it really is the best way of doing it. Partly because it’s funny.
This is a very accomplished film all-round, in fact. It’s well constructed, and the sound is very clear. It sounds to me like they’ve reconstructed the location sound, in fact, which is a complex job to do this well. The pacing of the film is good, too. Lots of material is crammed in, but it never feels rushed.
Gripes? The shot of the boat near the end isn’t the best, it’s not quite clear what we‘re supposed to be looking at. Also, the film is just a little serious. The Archimedes reenactment is funny, and played for laughs, but then the rest of the film takes it very seriously indeed, so the viewer isn’t sure if they’re supposed to laugh or not.
Minor quibbles, though — when you get into discussing mood and tone, you know the major stuff is sorted. So, this is an extremely well-planned film, executed with admirable attention to detail.
— Jonathan.
brill!
Sophie, 05 Mar 2009
a good presenter, great experiments and clear explanation
Johnny, 04 Mar 2009
good film. Naked bit is funny and when he is in street. Experiment is pretty good- works very well but not THAT amazing. Deserves to be top rated? probably
Nick, 02 Mar 2009
quite funny, but a good, serious explanation... one which is actually done properly for once - clear and thorough which I like!
It has a good set of shots i think. The naked archimedes stuff is very funny and then the experiment is effective visually. I do like this one.
Hannah, 28 Feb 2009
woop!!! Very funny and daring... ;)
Effie, 27 Feb 2009
haha- very funny!
naked man appreciation!, 25 Feb 2009
haha love this clip! That stuff in the tub is just so funny. It's been very well put together. Well done!
Jam, Norwich, 24 Feb 2009
Having seen this video, I decided to teach a lesson to my year 9 top set on Arhimedes' Principle. Using the video as the backbone to the lesson, we stopped the video at various points so I could get the class to contribuite ideas and ask questions and things and then they performed the experiment themselves. They absolutely loved it! They were amazed at how well the practical worked (I had already pre-prepared the table tennis balls as described by the team here) and it worked as well as in the film. It truely is a great demo.
They found the film accessible and credit should be given to the film-makers for ensuring the explanation was clear (whilst also bein succinct)and very thorough. They were in raptures during the naked stuff in the bath!
This is a seriously useful film, and i had never seen this demo work as well before until I tried their table-tennis ball filled with water method.
A big well done (and a thank you)!
Graham, Tunbridge Wells, 20 Feb 2009
this is very funny! That bathroom stuff is soooo good! And the bit where he runs down the street is cleverly filmed. A good experiment (perhaps a bit on the dull side but still clear and effective in demonstrating the point, and - again - well filmed). A good job all round really
Andy, 20 Feb 2009
here is a film that works! Nudity... a successful experiment.... bad acting... a good explanation... a few pointless shots... a geeky looking king....
It is all there!
Freddie, 19 Feb 2009
Very good! Interesting filming in the bath there ... ;)
Explanation was very clear. Good filming (although that random bit of ariver was a bit unexpected). I thought the force diagram helped and the table tennis ball experiment was clear. I think you should have gone to the side-on shot of the apple and ball earlier, as you couldn't quite see at first that one was floating and the other had sunk.
But apart from that... a great film!
Well done.
Johnny, 18 Feb 2009
Great film! I like this one a lot. Well done.
Neil, Manchester, 18 Feb 2009
great job you two! It has worked really well and your effort has obviously paid off :)
It is slightly more serious than some of the other films but much more up my street, as they are just too silly...
The filming is great, the experiment looks good, and the bathroom stuff is increds!
Woop woop! Good luck with it
Rachel C, 18 Feb 2009
This is a great film guys - absolutely fantastic!!
Love it.
Very well edited and put together, the experiment works, the dialogue is clear and the science is well explained. Why has this only been rated 3 stars is my question?
Good stuff!
Joe, 16 Feb 2009
i like this film a lot - especially the bath scenes :)
The physics is explained in a clear and concise way. The filming of the experiment is very good, with clever mixing between the different camera angles and i really like the black and white slow-mo replay of the salt being stirred in when the explanation comes around.
I can understand why some people have said it is not as light-hearted as it could be. Yes, in comparison they are obviously not going for the stupid gags that aren't even that funny like the other films. they have a more serious project that explains archimede's thing very well and I think that is better than having lots of immature school kids running around making a fuss in an ultimately non-funny way..... [/ rant]
this is the biz! If my school's had been as good as this I would have been so proud... shame ours is rubbish...
good stuff! xx
(btw, are any other films going up, we haven't had any for a while!!)
Hannah, 16 Feb 2009
this is a great film! I love the scenes with Archimedes and how it cuts to the people's reactions on the street. The practical works really well too and is impressive to see.
The explanation is very clear, understandable, and at a good pace I think.
What works really well is that everyone is so confident in front of the camera so it doesn't seem awkward / nervous or anything.
Can i fault it? Well, the boat shot isn't the best, but at least they made the effort to get somewhere interesting, and relatively relevant to the topic. I think it is better than filming it at school (which I presume is not next door lol...)
But this doesn't detract from a 5* performance...
Jason, Norfolk, 10 Feb 2009
a bit wordy...
jealous fool, 03 Feb 2009
A fantastic film I thought!
The format worked really well, as Alison said, and it keeps your attention throughout. It doesn't need to be more light-hearted i don't think, it works well as it is.
The experiment is amazing and the cutting / editing with the different camera angles works really well.
A fantastic effort!
Katie, 03 Feb 2009
I have shared your film with students at my school. You have presented a short movie which is understandable for many age groups. The short, focused segments are sure to maintain the attention of a younger audience and have them wanting to replicate your experiments. A top job. Some more time focused on the boat would have given the film a more conclusive finish.
alison, 03 Feb 2009
Informative, could have been more light hearted as "K" said, but good.
E, 02 Feb 2009
The ping-pong ball was simply filled with water and the sealed with some blue-tack, providing enough weight to sink in ordinary water.
Floating Physics, 31 Jan 2009
yeah it works really well by the river i think, especially with the london eye as a halo around the presenter's head!
The experiment is fantastic! It works so well - i mean you really see the water's density changing and the effect on the ball... how did you weight the ping pong ball so that it was just more dense than water?
Could you post the details of the experiment please.
I thought this film was absolutely fantastic.... definitely worthy of 5 stars!!
Well done
JL, 30 Jan 2009
I loved the part when they ate the orange with a spoon...
it was by far the best thing i've ever seen
x
J, 30 Jan 2009
I did really like this understood it well but could have been made a bit more light hearted but overall very good!
K, 29 Jan 2009
Although i felt it was informative in parts it lacked in energy and entertainment value. But relevant positioning of yourself near a river! Are you actually in London or is that a mere model?
Thomas Finney, 29 Jan 2009
hmmm I disagree with you N.
I agree that the shot of the boat is not great - but it is only about 3 seconds of the whole movie. But I think the pace is pretty good. It is nice and fast and exciting at the beginning, and the explanation is done at a pace where it doesn't seem patronisingly slow but is certainly slow enough for you to take it in. I think they have got the speed pretty right if I am honest.
It is serious, but I find the "non-serious" films all just too silly... they don't have enough real science, and they are just trying for giggles. This is quite a complicated principle to explain in a short time and I think this team have done it well. I prefer the more serious films.
I liked this one, and thought the re-enactment of the Archimedes bit in the bath and the high street was very well shot and edited - it made for funny viewing.
So the boat is a slight weakness (but very slight). Considering i have the immiscible oil one 5 stars, where is the option for 6 stars here?
Thomas, 28 Jan 2009
I thought that was very well done. I disagree with the Director's Notes: it does feel a bit rushed, as perhaps the creators tried to cover too much ground. This may also have contributed to the film mostly sounding quite serious. That said, this was as good as, if not better than, many short TV news items. The DN are correct in that the ship shot was a weak bit of the movie.
Overall, a polished effort with much educational potential. 4+ stars, especially if graded on a curve!
N, 27 Jan 2009
ooh Archimedes is hot...
Hamish, 27 Jan 2009