What will happen if you drop an ice cube into a glass of water? Will it float or sink? Give reason.
From Google:
Ice floats because it is about 9% less dense than liquid water. In other words, ice takes up about 9% more space than water, so a liter of ice weighs less than liter water.
When you drop an ice cube into a glass of water, it will float. The reason for this lies in the concept of density.
Density is a measure of how much mass is contained within a given volume. It is calculated by dividing an object's mass (m) by its volume (V). The formula for density is D = m/V.
An ice cube is made of water, but its temperature is below the freezing point of water, causing it to solidify. The solidification process brings the water molecules closer together, creating a more compact structure. As a result, the ice cube becomes denser than the liquid water.
When you place the ice cube in a glass of water, the denser ice displaces an equivalent volume of less dense water. According to Archimedes' principle, an object will float if it displaces a weight of fluid equal to its own weight. In this case, since the ice cube is less dense than the water, it displaces a greater weight of water than its own weight, causing it to float.
So, in summary, the ice cube floats in water because its density is lower than that of water, leading it to displace a greater weight of water, allowing it to stay afloat.