Question

In pottery class, you throw a pot from a lump of wet clay. your pot's mass is 5.5 kg. after the pot is fired, it's mass is 4.9 kg. the density of wet clay is 1.60 g/cm3 and the density of fired clay is 1.36 g/cm3. what was the volume of your pot before it was fired? what was the volume of the pot after it was fired? express your answer in significant digits.

Answer 1

We can calculate for the volume by taking the ratio of mass and density, that is:

volume = mass / density

 

A. when mass = 5.5 kg = 5500 g; density = 1.60 g/cm^3

volume = 5500 g / (1.60 g/cm^3)

volume = 3,437.5 cm^3

Taking the significant digits:

volume = 3,400 cm^3 = 3.4 L

 

B. when mass = 4.9 kg = 4900 g; density = 1.36 g/cm^3

volume = 4900 g / (1.36 g/cm^3)

volume = 3,602.94 cm^3

Taking the significant digits:

volume = 3,600 cm^3 = 3.6 L