How do cruise ships stay on the top of the water when they are so big and heavy? why do they not sink?

Question

How do cruise ships stay on the top of the water when they are so big and heavy? why do they not sink?

Answer 1

It is because they displace water.  Meaning that where water once was they are now.  If you read this articles it explains it all... it is very nifty and full of graphics...

Answer 2

as others had mentioned it is the displacement of water.........as well as physics. the weight of the object displacing the water is lighter than the amount of water that has been displaced which makes it float.

try this experiment:

use an empty glass bottle (that has a cap of some sort) in a sink full of water. it floats. now take the lid off and fill it with water. the size of the bottle has not changed but the weight has and now it sinks since it is now heavier than the amount of water that it has displaced.

Answer 3

the ships displace water.  

look at this website

howstuffworks.com

Answer 4

Archemedes principle of buoyancy.

He discovered this priciple thousands of years ago when he was in a bathtub and when he sat in the tub, the water rose.  When he got out of the tub, the water dropped a bit.

He used this knowleged to prove that something was fake gold, but i forgot the whole story.  

He was so excited he ran out of the tub into the streets naked, yelling EUREKA !

Cool huh?