1.1 What is a Pontoon and How Does It Work?
A pontoon is a floating platform that stays afloat using buoyant materials like 1.5L PET plastic bottles, barrels, or foam blocks. It functions by displacing water equal to its weight, following Archimedes’ Principle, which states that an object in a fluid experiences an upward force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced. This allows pontoons to remain stable while supporting additional weight, such as people or cargo.
1.2 Understanding Buoyancy & Stability
How buoyancy keeps objects afloat
The relationship between weight, water displacement, and stability
Why evenly distributed weight prevents tipping
