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LunarJK
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Homework Statement
A slab of ice floats on a freshwater lake. What minimum volume must the slab have for a 73.4 kg person to be able to stand on it without getting his or her feet wet?
(use 920kg/m^3 as density of ice and 1000 kg/m^3 for the density of freshwater)
Homework Equations
Archimedes Principle:
Fg = Fb
mg = pVg
The Attempt at a Solution
So my problem was I was really sick and I missed my couple first lectures on this topic. I've learned what I can from my textbook... but i think I'm missing a step or something in this problem.
This is what I figured I should do:
Since the buoyant force is equal to amount of liquid displaced, i plugged in the mass of the person and density of freshwater into Archimedes equation to solve for volume of water displaced.
Vwater displaced = (73.4 kg) / (1000 kgm-3)
Vwater displaced = 0.0734m3
Than from here, I really haven't worked with this subject for long enough to understand what i can and cannot do. My next attempt would be to solve for the volume of ice by doing:
pwaterVwater displaced = piceVice
Vice = pwaterVwater displaced / pice
Vice = (1000kgm-3)(0.0734m3) / (920kgm-3)
Vice = 0.0798 m3
Is this the correct answer? if not what should i have done?
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