What are lily pads? What makes them sturdy enough to hold a frog?

Question

Driving by a pond earlier and saw these and of course, I have seen lily pads before, but never thought about them. Got me thinking!

Answer 1

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They're a kind of plant, that grows in ponds. What determines if anything will stay afloat, is its density, compared to the density of water (1 g/cm^3). So, if the total mass of the frog and the lily pad, divided by their total volume, is less than that of the pond water, they'll stay afloat. Imagine (or actually do it, if you want) a tub filled with water, with a paper plate floating on it. You could add a certain amount of matter to the plate, before it would sink. Same principle.

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Asker's Comment:

thanks!