Question

Let’s assume that Indiana is successful in removing the idol and returning with it to his laboratory. He decides to determine if it is really pure gold. He weighs the idol and measures the volume by a water displacement method. The results are: mass = 16.5 kg and volume of water displaced = 954 mL. Is the idol made of pure gold? Explain your answer based on the experimental results

Answer 1

gold density = 19.3 g/cm³

mass = 16.5 kg = 16.5 x 10³ g

volume = 954 ml

gold density based on the experiments:

ρ = 16.5 x 10³ g / 954 ml(cm³) = 17.296 g/cm³ ( not of pure gold)