* Conservation of Mass: The fundamental principle of conservation of mass states that matter cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.
* Phase Change: Ice melting is a phase change, meaning the water molecules change their arrangement from a solid (ice) to a liquid (water). The amount of water molecules remains the same.
* Volume Change: While ice melting will cause the water level to rise slightly, this is due to the fact that ice is less dense than water, meaning it takes up more space. When ice melts, the water molecules take up less space, leading to a slight decrease in overall volume.
In summary: The amount of water in a cup remains the same whether it contains ice or not. The ice simply changes its state from solid to liquid.
