Question

Determining the density of a solid.

A student weighed a lab beaker on the 1 mg balance, and found a mass of 132.537 g. They added a solid sample to the beaker and weighed it again, finding a mass of 147.626 g.

Weighing by difference, the mass of the solid sample is: __________ g.

The number of significant figures is: _____________

The student partially filled a graduated cylinder with water to a volume of 15.26 mL. Upon adding the solid sample, the volume in the cylinder increased to 18.48 mL.

Finding volume by difference, the volume of the solid sample is: _____________ mL

The number of significant digits is: ____________________

Using the mass of the solid sample in grams, and the volume of the solid sample in cm3 (remember that 1 mL = 1 cm³), the density of the solid sample, using Equation 1, is: __________________ g/cm3

The number of significant digits is:_________________

Answer 1

Mass of the empty beaker 147.626 g

Mass of the beaker + solid sample = 147.626 g

Hence, mass of the solid sample = (147.626 – 132.537) g = 15.089 g

Number of significant figure is 3

Graduated cylinder with water to a volume of 15.26 ml

Upon adding the solid sample, the volume in the cylinder increased to 18.48 ml

Therefore, volume of solid sample is = (18.48 – 15.26) ml = 3.22 ml

We know density of a sample is = (mass/volume)

In this case mass = 15.089 g

And

Volume = 3.22 ml

Hence, density = (15.089 g/3.22 ml) = 4.68 g/ml