Explain why a ship made of metal sheets can float on the water?

The answer is very simple! A ship does not sink in water just because it is … “lighter than water”! How does it happen? Let’s try to figure it out. First, let’s clarify what “easier” means. When they say about something “lighter than water”, from a physical point of view, it means that the density of this object is less than the density of water. We can find the density of a ship by dividing its mass by its volume. And, since most of its volume is occupied by air (in cabins, holds, engine rooms), then the fact that its density is less than the density of water is not surprising.