Question

What is the density of a 12.475g piece of metal that causes the level of water in a graduated cylinder to rise from 5.0 to 6.1 mL when the metal is submerged in the water?
Consider significant figures when doing the calculation.

Answer 1

Answer:

11.3 g/mL.

Explanation:

• Density is a characteristic property of a substance.

• The density of a substance is the relationship between the mass of the substance and the volume it takes up.

d = m/V,

where, d is the density of the metal,

m is the mass of the metal (m = 12.475 g),

V is the volume that the metal takes up (V = 6.1 mL - 5.0 mL = 1.1 mL).

∴ d = m/V = (12.475 g)/(1.1 mL) = 11.34 g/mL ≅ 11.3 g/mL.

The significant figures has its rules in the calculations; the result has a significant figures to the lowest no. of significant figures (1.1 has two significant figures, while 12.475 has 5 significant figures), so the result should have only 2 significant figures.