The density of ice is 917 kg/m3, and the density of sea water is 1025 kg/m3. A swimming polar bear climbs onto a piece of floating ice that has a volume of 5.34 m3. What is the weight of the heaviest bear that the ice can support without sinking completely beneath the water?

Answer 1

F up = weight of water displaced = 917

= density of water * g * volume
= 1025*5.34 g = 5474 g

F down = weight of ice + weight of bear
= 917*5.34 g + w = 4897 g + w`

so
(5474-4897) g = w
w = 577 g = 577*9.81 = 5662 Newtons