Question

a cruise ship made of steels floats in the ocean. which of the following explanations is correct?the ship floats because steel is less dense than waterthe ship floats because its average density is less than water due to the air inside itthe ship floats because salt water is more dense than steelthe ship floats because it is heavier than the water that it displaces

Explanation:

Steel itself is denser than both fresh and saltwater. A cruise ship's hollow structure contains large volumes of air, which lowers its overall average density to be less than the density of ocean water. This aligns with Archimedes' principle, where an object floats if its average density is less than the fluid it displaces. The other options are incorrect: steel is denser than water, saltwater is not denser than steel, and a floating object displaces water equal to its own weight (not being heavier than displaced water).

Answer:

The ship floats because its average density is less than water due to the air inside it