Henry Baker wrote that an old SAT question goes like this: << A cube of ice is floating in a glass of water that is filled to the top. (No discussion of meniscus.) When the ice melts, the water in the glass: A. overflows B. stays at the same level C. goes down D. none of the above
(This sounds more like a question from a physics "achievement test" -- but be that as it may.) I would not say ice displaces the same "amount" of water, since "amount" could mean either mass or volume. The floating ice cube has the same weight as a) the water it displaces and b) the water it becomes when it melts. Thus a) and b) have the same volume. So when the cube melts, the water level shouldn't change. (So what's the business about floating ice raising water levels when it melts?) --Dan