Teacher Presentation- Why does ice float?

Back

Why does ice float?

© Virtual Science Teachers 2022

Visit www.VirtualScienceTeachers.com for more interactives!

Virtual Science Teachers

Report a Problem

Presentation Version

Select here for access to student version from Virtual Science Teachers website.

Begin

Simulations used in this interactive are by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder, licensed under CC-BY-4.0 (https://phet.colorado.edu).

Back

Welcome to Svalbard! You are well within the Arctic Circle, only 500 miles from the North Pole. The high temperature is -10°C (14°F) today.

Svalbard

Click on the glacier to continue.

Back

You watch two polar bear cubs playing on ice in the middle of a very deep bay. How is it that the ice can support these bears? Why doesn't the ice sink?

CONTINUE

Back

You look farther out and see a giant iceberg floating in the bay. How does something so heavy float? It's time to investigate!

CONTINUE

Back

Play with this simulation. Compare the distances between particles as you heat and cool them. Neon, argon, and oxygen behave like most particles when they freeze. Notice how water is different!

ReloadPage

Click here only when you have observed how water is different when it freezes.

Gaseous Air

Solid Water

Back

If the activity does not load, click BACK and try again.

Liquid Saltwater

Click on me when you know the code word.

Enter the code word you get by answering all 6 questions correctly.

lowercase letters only

Click here to use the simulation again.

Back

Which set of data on the bar graph correctly shows the relative distance between the particles of WATER in the solid, liquid, and gas states?

Set A Set B Set C Set D

HELP!

The distance between particles affects a substance's density. Density is the amount of matter (atoms or molecules) in a given space.

solid water (ice)

liquid water

Click on the form of water (liquid or solid) that contains more molecules for each milliliter of space.

Yes! Each milliliter of liquid water contains more molecules than each milliliter of ice.

solid water (ice)

liquid water

Click on the form of water (liquid or solid) that is the least dense.

In other words, which form of water (liquid or solid) contains fewer molecules per milliliter?

That's right! Solid water (ice) is less dense than liquid water.

solid water (ice)

liquid water

But, what does density have to do with floating ice?

Continue

less, more

Back

Home

An object or substance will sink in substances it is more dense than and float in substances it is less dense than.

Back

(Least Dense)

(Most Dense)

What Floats?

Click on the least dense substace or object in the glass.

CONTINUE

Back

Home

Right! The ping pong ball is the least dense. Well...the air around the ping pong ball is actually the least dense, but you get the point.

Back

(Least Dense)

(Most Dense)

What Floats?

Click on the most dense substace or object in the glass.

CONTINUE

You got it. The ping pong ball is the least dense. Well... the air around the ping pong ball is actually the least dense, but you get the point.

Back

Home

Back

What Floats?

Arrange the substances in order from least to most dense. Then click on the blue checkbox and follow the provided directions.

CONTINUE

ReloadPage

Back

If the activity does not load, click BACK and try again.

It's a good thing that frozen water (ice) is ________ dense than liquid water and therefore ________ in liquid water!

more, sinks

less, floats

less, sinks

more, floats

Layer of ice.

Click on the layer of ice to see what would happen if ice sank.

ReloadPage

Back

Click on the layer of ice to see what would happen if ice sank.

If the activity does not load, click BACK and try again.

Layer of Ice

Top Layer of Ice

Click on the layer of ice to see what would happen if ice sank.

ReloadPage

Back

New ice would continually form on the surface of the water and then sink. The whole body of water would turn into ice!

If the activity does not load, click BACK and try again.

I can't live without liquid water.

Click on the fish.

Layer of ice.

Click on the layer of ice to see what would happen if ice sank.

ReloadPage

Back

Thankfully, ice does not sink and life under the ice continues!

If the activity does not load, click BACK and try again.

Click on any of the organisms that live under the ice.

Back

Click on the boxes and choose the best word to complete the sentences. When all boxes are correct, click on the blue checkbox and follow the provided directions.

If the activity does not load, click BACK and try again.

Click here to use the simulation again.

Next time you're out watching the polar bears play on floating ice chunks....

Or perhaps when you add some ice to your glass of water....

Remember that ice floats because it is less dense than water!

If requested by your teacher...

This feature is disabled in the teacher presentation.

© Virtual Science Teachers 2022