Wonderful whys · 43/50 · Ages 8–10
Ice cubes with swimming lessons?
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Fox drops a pretend ice cube into a glass in a drawing. It floats without paddling. Ice and liquid water have different densities.
What you will discover
- Ordinary ice is less dense than liquid water.
- That difference allows ice to float on liquid water.
English vocabulary
- ice
- nước đá
- float
- nổi
Let’s play
Why does ordinary ice float on water?
- It has tiny wings
- It is less dense than liquid water
- It is always warm
See the explanation
A same-sized volume of ice has less mass than liquid water.
Practise touch typing
Place your hands on F and J and type this sentence using ten fingers.
Ice floats because it is less dense than water.
Two little quiz questions
1. Density compares mass with…
- Volume
- Color
- Nickname
Answer and explanation
Volume. Density describes how much mass fits into a volume.
2. Does floating prove an ice cube can swim?
- No
- Yes
- Only in a cup
Answer and explanation
No. Floating is a physical effect, not a swimming skill.
Read more with an adult: USGS Water Science School: Water density