Given rho_"substance"=2.78*g*mL^-1ρsubstance=2.78gmL1, what volume is associated with a 32.0*g32.0g mass?

1 Answer
Sep 15, 2017

rho, "Density"="Mass"/"Volume"ρ,Density=MassVolume

Explanation:

I write the defining quotient because given two of the three properties, we can access the third by division or multiplication.....

Here we gots rhoρ, and we gots "mass"mass....

And so, clearly, we can calculate "volume"="Mass"/rhovolume=Massρ

(32*cancelg)/(2.78*cancelg*mL^-1)=11.5*1/(mL^-1)=11.5*1/(1/(mL))=11.5*mL....

Such an operation is also consistent dimensionally, which is why I include the units of each property. We want an answer with units of density, "mass per unit volume"; the quotient gave us an answer with units "mass per unit volume", so we cannot be too far wrong.