Question

A block has a mass of 30g and dimensions of 1.5cm by 4.8cm by 2.3 cm. Will the block float or sink in

Answer 1

The block will sink

Explanation:

In general, an object with a higher density than water will sink  in it, and one with a lower density will float. Now, to know if the block will float or sink, the first step is to calculate the density of the block, and to do this, the volume and mass of the block are required.

Mass of the block: 30 grames

Volume of the block:

The volume of the block is not provided, but this can be found using the dimensions given.

V (Volume) = s (side) x s x s

V = 1.5 cm x 4.8 cm x 2.3 cm

V = 16.56 $cm^{3}$

Density of the block:

To find the density simply divide the mass into the volume

D (density) = M (Mass) ÷ V (Volume)

D = 30 grams ÷ 16.56 $cm^{3}$

D = 1. 811 grams/ $cm^{3}$

The density of the block is  1. 811 grams/ $cm^{3}$

Additionally, the density of the water is 1 gram/ $cm^{3}$ or 1 gram/mL. According to this, the density of the block is higher than the density of the water, and therefore this is the block sinks.