Question

Imagine that you place a piece of cork measuring 1.30 cm x 5.50 cm x 3.0 cm in a pan of WATER and that on top of the cork you place a cube of lead measuring 1.15 cm on each edge. The density of the cork is 0.235 g/cm^3, and the density of the lead is 11.35 g/cm^3. Will the combination of the cork and lead float or sink? Show your work.

Answer 1

Here we find combine density of cork and lead and the compare this with water.

We know the density of both and by using volume we get mass of each and then add up together.

Mass of cork = Density x volume = 0.235 g /cm³ x (1.30 x 5.50 x 3.0 ) cm³ = 5.04075 g

Mass of lead = volume of lead x density of lead = (edge)³ x density of lead = (1.15 cm)³ x 11.35 g/ cm³ = 17.26 g

Total mass = 5.04075 g + 17.26 g = 22.3 g

Total volume = [(1.15)³ + (1.30 x 5.50 x 3.0 )] cm³ = 24.825 cm³

Combined density of lead with cork = 22.3 g / 24.825 cm³ = 0.90 g/cm³

Density of water approximately = 1.0 g / cm³ so the combined density of the lead with cork is the less than water so it will not sink

Ans: combination will float