Density Chemistry Example 3

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Example 3

easy
Will an object with density 0.85g/cm30.85\,\text{g/cm}^3 float or sink in water (ρ=1.00g/cm3\rho = 1.00\,\text{g/cm}^3)?

Solution

  1. 1
    Objects less dense than the surrounding fluid float; objects more dense sink.
  2. 2
    0.85<1.000.85 < 1.00, so the object will float.

Answer

The object floats.\text{The object floats.}
Buoyancy depends on the relative densities. This is why ice (ρ0.92g/cm3\rho \approx 0.92\,\text{g/cm}^3) floats on liquid water.

About Density

The mass of a substance per unit volume, measuring how tightly packed the particles are within a material.

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