Final answer:
To find the density of an irregular object, measure its mass and volume (via water displacement if the object can be submerged) and then divide the mass by the volume.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the density of an irregular object, you need to measure both the mass and volume of the object and then divide the mass by the volume. The mass is typically found using a scale. For the volume, one common method is to submerge the object in water within a graduated cylinder and measure the water displacement. This technique leverages Archimedes' principle, which states that the volume of water displaced is equal to the volume of the submerged object.
For example, if a 240-gram rock is submerged in a graduated cylinder and displaces 89.0 cm³ of water, the density of the rock can be calculated by dividing its mass by the volume of water displaced. Thus, the density is 240 g / 89.0 cm³. For objects that cannot be submerged, such as a spherical polystyrene, you would use the formula for the volume of a sphere (V = 4/3πR³).
Understanding the density of an object is crucial in various applications, such as identifying the material composition of an object. Depending on the precision required and the physical characteristics of the object, various techniques based on Archimedes' principle may be used to achieve more accurate measurements.