This is very important since ships are only stable with the right combination of cargo or ballast and ocean conditions, including salinity. Ships can become unstable in stormy waters if their center of gravity is too high in relation to their center of buoyancy.
Ships can swamp and sink if they ride too low in the water.
Water in the Dead Sea is about 27 percent salt. If you floated vertically, your head and shoulders would stick out above the surface. If you stretched your arms out, you'd lose balance because you'd be top heavy. And you wouldn't swim very well because you couldn't stay under water sufficiently to propel yourself. Explore Procedure Review experimental procedure on Activity 1.2.1 Student Worksheet.