Final answer:
The density of gold reported in the PhET density lab is 19 g/cm³, which is significantly higher compared to materials like aluminum and iron. Gold's high density is due to the tightly packed arrangement of its atoms. Density measurements are crucial for determining the composition and authenticity of materials.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of studying matter and its properties in Chemistry, the density of gold from the PhET density lab is approximately 19 g/cm³. This density value means that gold is quite dense compared to many other materials. For example, if you have equal volume samples of gold and aluminum, gold's sample will be much heavier because it has a higher density. Gold's high density is due to its atoms being very closely packed together, which also contributes to its weight and mass-to-volume ratio.
When comparing with other common materials, gold's density is about 2.5 times that of iron, which in turn is about 2.5 times the density of aluminum. This makes gold one of the densest materials and useful for various applications, including in jewelry and electronics, as well as historically being a standard for currency in the form of bars or coins.
The usefulness of a density measurement in identifying material composition is well exemplified by gold. Knowing its density helps determine the authenticity of gold objects, as imitation materials would typically have a different density.