Question

Mercury metal is poured into a graduated cylinder that holds exactly 77 ml. The mercury used to fill the cylinder weighs 308 g. From this information, calculate the density of mercury.

Answer 1

The density of mercury, calculated using the given mass of 308 g and volume of 77 mL, is 4 g/mL. However, this differs from the standard density of mercury, which is 13.6 g/mL at room temperature, indicating a possible error in the measurements or conditions.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the density of mercury, we need to use the formula: density = mass/volume. We're given that the mass of the mercury is 308 g and it fills up 77 mL of volume in a graduated cylinder.

Using the formula, density = 308 g / 77 mL, which equals exactly 4 g/mL. This is how we determine the density of mercury in this case.

It is important to note that the standard density of mercury is approximately 13.6 g/mL at room temperature. The discrepancy here might suggest an error in the provided measurements or the conditions under which the measurements were taken.