That's just the tip of the iceberg" is a popular expression you may have heard. It means that what you can see is only a small p
art of the overall problem. As the diagram shows, most of an iceberg is actually out of sight, below the water level. Based on this diagram, what is the most likely density of the iceberg? (Assume a density of 1.03 g/mL for seawater.) A. 0.88 g/cc
B. 1.23 g/cc
C. 0.23 g/cc
D. 4.14 g/cc
Explanation: For something to float on seawater, the density must be less than 1.03 g/mL. If the object sinks, the density is greater than 1.03 g/mL.
Let’s examine the answer choices. Keep in mind, the ice berg is mostly below the water level.
A. 0.88 g/cc This is less than 1.03 g/cc, which would result in floating.
B. 1.23 g/cc This is the best answer choice. The iceberg is mostly beneath the water, but some of it is exposed. The density is greater than 1.03 g/mL, but not so much greater that it would immediately sink.
C. 0.23 g/cc This is less than 1.03 g/cc, which would produce floating.
D. 4.14 g/cc This is much greater than 1.03 g/cc and the result would be sinking.
