How to Calculate the Percentage of an Iceberg's Volume Above the Surface

When trying to find out what percentage of an iceberg's volume is above the surface, we must consider the densities of ice and salt water to make the calculation. Archimedes' Principle comes into play as we work out the buoyancy force acting on the iceberg.

Explanation:

Archimedes' Principle states that the buoyant force on a submerged object is equal to the weight of the fluid it displaces. This means that the submerged volume of the iceberg must displace an equal mass of seawater to maintain its equilibrium.

By using the densities of ice (0.917 g/cm³) and salt water (1.024 g/cm³), we can calculate the fraction of the iceberg that is submerged below the surface. This can be done by finding the ratio of the density of ice to the density of saltwater, which is ice density divided by saltwater density.

So, when we plug in the numbers, the fraction of the iceberg that is submerged is approximately 0.917/1.024, which equals 0.8955 or 89.55%. This means that 89.55% of the iceberg's volume is submerged beneath the water's surface.

Therefore, to find the percentage of the iceberg's volume that is above the surface, we subtract 89.55% from 100%. The result is 10.45%, indicating that a little over 10% of the iceberg's volume is visible above the water.