A cube of gold-colored metal with a volume of 54 cm^3 has a mass of 980g.The density of the gold is 19.3g/cm^3. is this sample of pure gold? why or why not?

Question

Trying to find if the gold is pure or not?

Answer 1

Remember that mass equals density times volume.

 

If the mass of the cube is given as 980 g and the density of pure gold is 19.3 g/cm³, then IF the cube were pure gold, its volume would be 980/19.3 ≈ 50.8 cm³.

 

Since the cube has volume 54 cm³, you can conclude that it is NOT pure gold and has some other substance more massive than pure gold. (You might think about why that is true.)