1) Buoyancy is the upward force exerted by a fluid that opposes the weight of an immersed object. This force is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object and allows objects with lower density than the fluid to float.
2) The key factors that determine if an object will float or sink are the density of the object compared to the fluid density, the weight of fluid displaced versus the object's weight, and the object's shape.
3) Stability of floating objects depends on the location of the meta-center point, which is where the line of buoyancy force meets the axis when tilted. Stable equilibrium requires the meta-center to be above the center of gravity