In what direction and at what point does the buoyant force on a body due to a liquid, act?

Answer

To answer the question about the direction and point of action of the buoyant force on a body submerged in a liquid, we can break it down into clear steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Buoyant Force**:
- When a solid body is submerged in a liquid, it experiences two main forces: the gravitational force (weight) acting downward and the buoyant force acting upward.

2. **Direction of Buoyant Force**:
- The buoyant force always acts in the opposite direction to the weight of the body. Since the weight acts downward due to gravity, the buoyant force acts upward.

3. **Displacement of Liquid**:
- When the body is submerged, it displaces a volume of liquid equal to the volume of the body that is submerged. This is similar to how your hand displaces water when you dip it into a bucket.

4. **Point of Action of Buoyant Force**:
- The buoyant force acts at a specific point known as the "center of buoyancy." This point is located at the center of the volume of liquid that has been displaced by the submerged part of the body.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the buoyant force acts upward at the center of the displaced liquid volume, which is referred to as the center of buoyancy.

### Final Answer:
The buoyant force on a body due to a liquid acts **upward** and at the **center of the volume of the liquid displaced by the body**.

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