Why do fresh water icebergs float lower in...?

Question

fresh water, then in the ocean?

is it something about the fact one has salt and the other doesn't?

Answer 1

All icebergs are constructed of fresh water. When they freeze the salt is squeezed out, leaving freshwater ice behind.

However, because of the relative density of salt (ocean) water and fresh water icebergs would float lower in fresh water as the salt helps things float more easily in sea water.

Icebergs per se, must be very rarely seen in fresh water. Ice can, obviously, be seen in, for example, the Great Lakes, but ice bergs?...I don't think so. The vast majority of icebergs are glacial runoffs that break apart when the ice is driven on to the sea surface by the natural motion of the glacier. When a piece breaks away it forms an iceberg. Perhaps it is just a matter of scale?

There are acceptable 'limits' for example when a 'hill' becomes a 'mountain', maybe there are size limits on what can be considered an iceberg. I don't know, perhaps another 'answerer' can help?

Cheers,

BobSpain.

Answer 2

Exactly. First of all, all icebergs are freshwater. There's no salt in an iceberg, unless you go by later and sprinkle it on.

Salt water is denser that fresh water, and therefore has more buoyancy. So icebergs (and any object) float higher on sea water than on fresh water.

Answer 3

Yes, all icebergs are made of fresh water, but salt water is more dense.

Answer 4

salt water is more dense, and therefore the buoyant force is stronger because the same amount of water displaced will weigh more

Answer 5

ice floats on water

Answer 6

do some drugs and you'll figure it out ;P