Physlet Illustration: Archimedes' Principle and Melting Ice

 

 

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An ice cube melts in a glass of water as shown in the animation (position is measured in centimeters and time is shown in minutes). Which animation correctly shows what the final water level will be?

Start Animation 1  Start Animation 2 Start Animation 3

Hints:

  1. Since the bouyant force is the weight of the water displaced, you can determine the mass of the ice cube.  
  2. How does the volume of the ice cube that is below the water level change with time?

Reference

See Walker, Section 15-4

Illustration written by Mario Belloni and Modified by Chuck Niederriter