Why does Ice Float on Water?

The density of a material is defined as its mass per unit of volume (i.e., density = mass/volume). The density of material reduces as its content increases.

Because ice is just less dense as compared to water, it floats.

1. The density of water equals 1.0 gm/cubic cm.
2. Ice has a density of approximately 0.931 gm/cubic cm.

When water turns into ice by freezing, hydrogen atoms develop, allowing the particles to be spread further apart, able to take up more room, reducing the total density and allowing it to hover in the water. Ice molecules take approximately 9% more area than fluid water molecules, therefore that snow is around 9 percent less dense than liquid water.