How Do Paper Boats Float?
Paper boats float based on the principle of buoyancy, which is the same principle that explains why anything floats. A paper boat is buoyant when the weight of the amount of water it displaces is greater than the weight of the paper boat itself. In effect, the water pushes up against the paper boat with more force than the paper boat pushes down. This keeps the paper boat above the surface. By understanding this basic idea, floating paper boats becomes a matter of playing with different designs and finding out which ones work.