What effect does increasing the mass of an object have on its buoyancy in water?

Increasing the mass of an object does not enhance buoyancy; instead, it can affect whether the object will float or sink. Buoyancy is the upward force exerted by a fluid, which counteracts the weight of an object immersed in that fluid. This force depends on the volume of fluid displaced by the object, which is determined by its shape and size, rather than its mass.

When an object is submerged in water, it experiences buoyant force equal to the weight of the water displaced. If the object's mass increases but its volume remains the same, the weight of the object will increase. If the weight surpasses the buoyant force acting on it, the object will sink. Therefore, while increasing mass itself doesn't directly decrease the buoyant force, it can lead to negative buoyancy, causing the object to submerge.

Consequently, the right understanding is that increased mass generally leads to a decrease in buoyancy relative to the object’s weight, enhancing the likelihood of sinking.