Iceberg Buoyancy Physics (2D)

Ice & Water

Ice density ρ_ice 900 kg/m³

Water density ρ_water 1025 kg/m³

Iceberg height 28 m

Wave choppiness 1.0×

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State: floating in equilibrium

Submerged fraction

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Freeboard height

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Ice mass

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Displaced volume

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Chunks calved

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Elapsed time

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How it works

By Archimedes' principle, a floating iceberg displaces a volume of water whose weight equals its own weight. Since weight = ρ·V·g for both the ice and the water it displaces, the submerged fraction depends only on the density ratio, not on the iceberg's size:

Submerged fraction = ρ_ice / ρ_water  (capped at 100%)
Freeboard height = total height × (1 − submerged fraction)

Glacial ice runs about 850–920 kg/m³ depending on trapped air, while seawater is about 1025 kg/m³ — close enough that roughly 88–90% of an iceberg stays underwater, leaving only a sliver of the famous "tip" visible above the surface. Raise the water density (saltier, colder water) and more of the berg pokes out; raise the ice density (less trapped air) and it rides lower. Calved chunks are made of the same ice, so they settle at the exact same fraction once they hit the water.

Ice above water Ice submerged Ocean