Final answer:
Approximately 91.7% of an iceberg is submerged below the water's surface. This calculation is based on the densities of ice (917 kg/m³) and water (1000 kg/m³) and is explained by the Archimedes' principle.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to the Archimedes' principle which states that the upward buoyant force that is exerted on a body immersed in a fluid, whether fully or partially submerged, is equal to the weight of the fluid that the body displaces. Applying this principle to an iceberg, we can say that the fraction of the iceberg submerged is equal to the ratio of the density of ice to the density of water since the weight of the displaced water is equal to the weight of the entire iceberg.
Given that the density of ice is 917 kg/m³ and the density of water is approximately 1000 kg/m³, using a simple ratio: density of ice / density of water = 917/1000, we find that approximately 91.7% of the iceberg's volume is submerged under the water surface.
This is because the less dense ice displaces enough water to equal its weight before it is completely submerged, and thus floats with a portion above water.