Why is it that living things sink when they're alive and float with they're dead?

Question

Ex. Humans and Fish

Answer 1

Gases from decomposition of dead tissue builds up in the body cavity.

Eventually, they pop and sink partway back down.

Answer 2

not exactly a true statement. just ask any body found at teh bottom of a river or anybody that keeps aquarium fish.

first off, it depends on the density to start with. if you can swim, you float. most people float. death lets decay bacteria get started. some of their products are gasses which are trapped inside the body, reducing density and improving buoyancy. ditto fish that are mostly neutrally buoyant to begin with.

cold water inhibits the bacteria, so you get less gasses and less flotation. clothing could keep a body under.

Answer 3

they sink because according to Archimedes Principle they must displace their weight in the medium in which they are to float and after death gases such as methane form in the alimentary canal whih are much lighter that the water or other medium in which they sank causing the body to rise to the top. after this process is over they sink again.

Answer 4

Actually most humans will float when alive.  It's because the density of the human body is less than 1 gram/cm^3.

Archimedes Principle.

Answer 5

Actually it has nothing to do with the idea of life and death. It is just the fact of density. Human's density is about 1 gram/cm and so is water. So depending on your bodily structure you will most likely float or be suspended in the water.

Answer 6

death brings about gases in the body, whence gas will rise above the water, thus making a body float to the top