If steel is more dense than lake water, why can a boat float?

A boat’s hollow shape contains air, so its overall average density is lower than the density of the steel alone. If the boat’s average density is less than water’s density of 1.00 g/cm³, it can displace enough water for the buoyant force to support it. Therefore, the correct choice is that the boat, including its steel and air, has an average density less than 1.00 g/cm³.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.