Given #rho_"substance"=2.78*g*mL^-1#, what volume is associated with a #32.0*g# mass?

1 Answer
Sep 15, 2017

#rho, "Density"="Mass"/"Volume"#

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 #rho#, and we gots #"mass"#....

And so, clearly, we can calculate #"volume"="Mass"/rho#

#(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.