Which of the following best describes why a cruises ship floats? A) it describes why a cruise ship floats.

B) its volume and mass are equal

C) its displaces an equal or greater amount of water then its own weight.

D) its volume is greater than its mass.

Answer: C) it displaces an equal or greater amount of water then its own weight.

Explanation:

Let's begin by explaining that the bouyant force is the force the fluids exert in a submerged body or object, and is directed upwards. This is also in accordance with the Archimedes' Principle:

A body totally or partially immersed in a fluid at rest, experiences a vertical upward thrust equal to the mass weight of the body volume that is displaced.

So, since the density of a body is related to its buoyancy, a body will float on another fluid if its density is lower. In the case of the ship, its volume is greater than its mass. However, this is not the only thing.

Ships are designed by the engineers to displace an amount of ocean water that is equivalent to their own mass in order to keep it afloat.

In other words: Ships displace its own weight in water.

This is accomplished by making the ship less dense than ocean water and by the design of a wide U-shaped hull. So, as the ship displaces its hull pushes water away, while the pressure of the ocean pushes up against the ship's hull; and this combination of forces (The weight of the ship and buoyant force) acting simultaneosly prevent the ship from sinking despite its huge mass.