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The ships are not made of solid iron. They contain much empty space where the cargo and or passengers go. So the overall density of a ship: its TOTAL mass divided by its TOTAL volume is less than that of water.

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Q: Why do steel ships float if the density of iron is much greater than the density of water?
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What will happen to a solid made from matter with a greater density than water when it is dropped into water?

The answer depends on the shape of the object. Ships, made from steel, which is denser than water, do float!


What will happen to a solid objects made from matter from with a greater density than water when it is dropped into water?

The answer depends on the shape of the object. Ships, made from steel, which is denser than water, do float!


Why can steel ships float on water although steel is denser than water?

Steel ships float on water because their shape is designed to displace enough water to create a buoyant force that is greater than the weight of the ship. This buoyant force allows the ship to float despite the steel being denser than water.


What will happen to a solid object made from matter with a greater density than water when it is dropped into water?

The answer depends on the shape of the object. Ships, made from steel, which is denser than water, do float!


Will silver float in Mercury?

Yes, silver would float in mercury because silver is less dense than mercury. This means that silver would displace an amount of mercury equal to its own weight, allowing it to float on top of the mercury.


Why do ships float even if they are made of a material more dense than water?

What matters when you consider the ability of something to float is the mass of water it can displace. This needs to be greater than the mass of the ship. A steel ship is not steel all the way through, a lot of the inside is air, so the effective density is much smaller than if it were all steel.


What can you infer about density of a substance floats in water?

If a substance floats in water, it is less dense than water. This means that its mass per unit volume is lower than that of water. Substances with lower density will float on top of substances with higher density.


Should a material have a higher or lower density to float in water?

A material needs a lower density than water to float in water. Ships float in water because their average density is lower than water. The average density includes the steel hull and the air inside the hull.


What is density out of water carbon dioxide and steel which has greater density?

Steel has the greatest density of the three.


How can a ship made out of steel with a density much higher than the density of water float on the water?

The steel has a density greater than water; but the ship does not. To calculate density, you divide mass by volume. This includes the mass - and the volume - of any air trapped inside the ship.


How steel can make a ship float?

Steel ships float because of their structure, which is designed to displace a volume of water greater than their own weight. The buoyancy produced by displacing water allows the ship to float and stay afloat. Additionally, the design of the ship prevents water from entering and sinking it.


Explain how you can make plastic sink and steel float?

Plastic can sink if it is denser than water, while steel can float if it is shaped in a way that traps air, increasing its overall density and allowing it to float. This concept is related to the principle of buoyancy, where an object will float if it is less dense than the fluid it displaces.