A block of ice 30.5 cm thick floating in fresh water just supports a man weighing 801 N.If the specific gravity of ice is 0.917,the smallest area the block can have is A)3.25 m² B)3.57 m² C)2.88 m² D)1.45 m² E)0.269 m²

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The smallest area the block can have is the area of the water displaced by the block. The weight of the water displaced is equal to the weight of the man, so the volume of the water displaced is:V = W/ρg = 801 N / (1000 kg/m³ * 9.81 m/s²) = 0.0816 m³The area of the water displaced is:A = V/h = 0.0816 m³ / 0.305 m = 0.269 m²Therefore, the smallest area the block can have is 0.269 m².

A Block of Ice 30