Final answer:
Materials with a density lower than water will float, while materials with a higher density will sink. The buoyant force, based on the principle of Archimedes, acts on the object, determining its floatation or sinking behavior, and this force is influenced by temperature changes affecting densities.
Step-by-step explanation:
When comparing the densities of floating and sinking materials to the density of water, we observe that objects with a density lower than water, such as oil or wood, will float. Conversely, objects with a higher density than water, such as metals, will sink. This behavior is due to the principle that the average density of an object determines its buoyancy in a fluid. A substance like corn syrup, which has a higher density than water, will sink if placed in water.
On the other hand, ice, with a lower density, will float. The buoyant force exerted by the fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced, and if this force is greater than the weight of the object, it will float. Additionally, the temperature can affect density since most materials expand and therefore decrease in density as temperature increases.