would something with less density than water but a lot more mass sink?

Question

What would happen if a graduated cylinder was 3/4 full of oil and only 1/4 full of water.

Answer 1

density = mass(kg) / volume(m³) = kg/m³

 

 

 

1. Increasing the amount of a substance does not increase it's density, it increase it's mass and it's volume. Prove it!

 

2. Lets say you have 2 kg of oil and it has a volume of 2m³. It's density = 2kg / 2 m³ = 1 kg/m³.

 

3. Now add 2m³ of oil . Doesn't 2m³ of oil have a mass of 2kg? Yes.

Then your new mass = 4kg and your new volume = 4m³.

 

4. It's density would be 4kg / 4m³ = 1 kg/m³. The density stays the same.

 

5. So you see, even if you add more of a material it's ratio of mass to volume always stays the same.

 

6. So if you increase the amount of oil it will still be less dense than the water and continue to float.