Question

1. a cube of wood (0.002 m³) floats in water. calculate the approximate mass of water displaced if the wood has a density of 0.6 g/cm³. water displaced=__________

Explanation:

Step1: Convert volume unit

The volume of the wood $V = 0.002\ m^{3}=0.002\times10^{6}\ cm^{3}=2000\ cm^{3}$.

Step2: Calculate the mass of the wood

Use the density - mass - volume formula $
ho=\frac{m}{V}$, so $m =
ho V$. Given $
ho = 0.6\ g/cm^{3}$ and $V = 2000\ cm^{3}$, then $m=0.6\ g/cm^{3}\times2000\ cm^{3}=1200\ g$.

Step3: Apply Archimedes' principle

According to Archimedes' principle, the buoyant force on a floating object is equal to the weight of the object, and the buoyant force is also equal to the weight of the displaced fluid. So the mass of the water displaced is equal to the mass of the floating object.

Answer:

$1200\ g$