Final answer:
The force required to push or pull a floating ice block depends on various factors such as the coefficient of friction and the specific scenario.
Step-by-step explanation:
In physics, if an ice block is floating on water and is being pushed or pulled, the force required to move it will depend on the coefficient of friction between the ice and the water. If the ice block is being pushed or pulled at the same angle above the horizontal, both methods will require the same amount of force.
However, if we consider a block of ice being pushed across a frozen lake, the minimum force F required to get the block moving can be calculated using Newton's second law of motion, which states that force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma). The magnitude of its acceleration once it starts to move will depend on the force applied and can also be calculated using Newton's second law of motion.
In summary, the method of sliding a block of ice that requires less force depends on the specific scenario and the coefficient of friction between the ice and the surface it is being pushed or pulled on.