Final answer:
The relationship between mass and density is fundamental in physics, affecting buoyancy and floatation. Objects less dense than fluid (like water) float, with how much submerged depending on their density. Archimedes' Principle describes this buoyant force as equal to the weight of the displaced fluid.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mass and density are related concepts in physics, particularly when dealing with fluids and buoyancy. If two blocks have the same volume, the one with the larger mass has the greater density. This relationship is essential in understanding phenomena such as why some objects float while others sink, as described by Archimedes' Principle.
For example, a rock with a mass of 540 g in air that appears to have a mass of 342 g when submerged in water displaces a certain mass of water. The buoyant force, which is equal to the weight of the displaced fluid, affects the apparent weight of the object. Using this principle we can calculate the volume of the rock and, with the given initial mass, its density.
Similarly, a person with a density less than that of water will float in water, with a fraction of their body submerged equal to the ratio of their density to the density of water. The concept of buoyancy also extends to gases like air, where a person has a mass of 80 kg and a density of 955kg/m³ would have a different buoyant force and ratio of buoyant force to their weight.