""i am unsure of the ice skater comparison.surely not much impression would be made in the ice if skater merely stood still.""

Then once again some homework is indicated.

Way back in the fifties at grammar school, we carried out the requisite experiment.

We placed a large block of ice across two bricks in the school refrigerator and put a one Kg weight on top, After a weekend, we found the weight fully enclosed in the ice, with only a small dent on top to show how it got there.

Repeated over a longer period, the weight finally dropped out of the bottom.


I would be unsure what would happen as well - which is the exact point of doing the experiment.   In fact, its the point of doing the experiement even if you are 'sure' but haven't actually tried it or seen the results.