What makes dead bodies float

If its weight is same as that of an equal volume of water it will remain afloat. For example, wood or cork float on water because their densities are less than that of water. Bodies whose densities are more than that of water sink in water. The density of the human body is less than that of the water. Therefore, when a human dead body falls in water, it floats for a few seconds in it.

But when water goes into the body, its density becomes more and it sinks. But, when its body starts expanding due to further addition of water, the volume of the total body increases, resulting in again decrease in its density. In other words, the weight of the water displaced by his body becomes more than that of the body. As a result of this, it starts to float. The same theory holds good for the floating of other objects also.

The smaller the hands and legs are, then the more likely it is for the corpse to float facing up. If a body stays on the surface of the water for a long time then it will release the gas that been built up and then it will sink into the water once again. Decomposition continues underwater and then more and more gas is collected and the body may start floating again.

Why a living person sinks and a dead person floats in water? Tejas Charukula. Previous Page Print Page. Noon Edition. Home Archives About Contact. Why Do Corpses Float? By Danit Brown Posted January 21, Media Player Error Update your browser or Flash plugin.