Two identical blocks of ice, Aand B, float in water as shown in the figure given below. Which one among the following statements in this regard is correct?

According to Archimedes' principle, any object floating in a fluid is acted upon by an upward buoyant force equal to the weight of the fluid it displaces [t1][t4]. For a floating object to remain in equilibrium, this buoyant force must exactly balance the object's weight [c1][t5]. Since blocks A and B are identical, they possess the same mass and weight [t1]. Consequently, to maintain flotation, both blocks must experience the same buoyant force, which necessitates displacing an equal weight—and thus an equal volume—of water [t1][t7]. The orientation or the depth of the submerged end does not change the total volume of water required to support the block's mass [t1][t3]. Therefore, because they share the same mass and specific gravity (density relative to water), the volume of the submerged portion remains identical for both blocks regardless of their physical orientation [t1][t10].

Sources

1. [1] https://www.britannica.com/science/Archimedes-principle
2. [2] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: Exploring Forces > Activity 5.13: Let us investigate > p. 76