Question

You can identify a metal by carefully determining its density. A 29.51 g sample of an unknown metal is 1.50 cm long, 2.50 cm wide, and 1.00 cm thick. What is a possible identity of the element?

Answer 1

`rho="Mass"/"volume"`

Explanation:

`rho_"unknown metal"=(29.51*g)/(1.50*cmxx2.50*cmxx1.00*cm)`

`=7.90*g*cm^-3`

....you could look up a list detailing the densities of metals and alloys, and search for a likely candidate. Iron, `rho=7.87*g*cm^-3`, fits the bill. Of course, no one would know the densities of common metals off the top of their heads.