Final answer:
The density of a 240-g rock that displaces 89.0 cm³ of water is calculated to be 2.70 g/cm³. This calculation is based on the mass of the rock divided by the volume of water displaced, using a method derived from Archimedes' principle.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the density of an object, you can divide the object's mass by its volume. To apply this method to a 240-g rock that displaces 89.0 cm³ of water, you would perform the following calculation:
Density = Mass / Volume
This gives us a calculation of 240 g (the mass) divided by 89.0 cm³ (the volume), which results in:
Density = 240 g / 89.0 cm³ = 2.70 g/cm³
The calculated density is 2.70 g/cm³, which helps to identify the composition of the rock based on known densities of various rock types. It's important to note that while this method is straightforward, the accuracy can be limited in comparison to more precise techniques that also employ Archimedes' principle.