The minimum area of the floe that can just support the bear in the salt water of specific gravity 1.03 is 1.95 m2.
Since we are given the informtaion that a polar bear of mass 200 kg stands on an ice floe 100 cm thick and the specific gravity of ice is 0.98. The minimum area of the floe can be calculated using the Archimedes Principle, which states that the weight of the object is equal to the weight of the water displaced by the object:
Weight of polar bear = (200 kg) x (9.8 m/s2) = 1960 Newtons.
Volume of water displaced = (1960 N) / (1.03 x 9.8 m/s2) = 191.7 liters
Volume of ice floe = (191.7 liters) / (0.98 g/cm3) = 195 cm3
Area of ice floe = (195 cm3) / (100 cm) = 1.95 m2
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