Why does a cube of ice float in a glass of ice-cold water?

What is the principle behind the floating of a cube of ice in ice-cold water?

Why does the density of the cube of ice allow it to float in the glass of water? How does this relate to the densities of ice, water, and ethyl alcohol?

Principle of Buoyancy and Density

The cube of ice floats in the glass of ice-cold water due to the principle of buoyancy, where the density of ice is lower than that of water.

When a cube of ice is placed in a glass of ice-cold water, it will float with one of its faces parallel to the water's surface. This phenomenon can be explained by the principle of buoyancy. The density of ice is lower than that of water, which allows it to float.

The density of a substance is determined by its mass per unit volume. In this case, the density of ice is lower than that of water, which means that a given volume of ice has less mass than the same volume of water. As a result, the cube of ice, with its lower density, experiences an upward buoyant force that is greater than its weight.

According to Archimedes' principle, an object will float in a fluid if the buoyant force acting on it is equal to or greater than its weight. In this scenario, the buoyant force exerted by the ice-cold water is greater than the weight of the cube of ice, causing it to float.

The densities of ice, water, and ethyl alcohol mentioned in the question are not fully utilized in explaining the floating of the ice cube. However, it is worth noting that the density of ethyl alcohol is lower than both water and ice, which is why ethyl alcohol often floats on water.