What type of buoyant items are defined as positively buoyant?

Positively buoyant items are those that float when placed in water. This means they have a density that is less than the density of the water, allowing them to rise to the surface. The principle behind buoyancy is based on Archimedes' principle, which states that an object will float if it displaces a volume of water equal to its own weight. Thus, positively buoyant items will always maintain an upward force from the displaced water, resulting in floating.

In contrast, items that sink are negatively buoyant, having a density greater than water, while those that neither float nor sink are typically referred to as neutrally buoyant, meaning their density is equal to the water's. Items that are neutral in buoyancy will remain suspended in the water column without rising to the surface or sinking to the bottom, demonstrating different buoyancy characteristics compared to those that are positively buoyant.