Question

A sample of mercury has a density of 13.6 g/cc at 37 °C. Calculate

the specific gravity of mercury.
A) 13.6 g/cc
B) 1.00
C) 0.736
D) 37 °C

Answer 1

Specific gravity is the ratio of a substance's density to that of water at a specified temperature. Mercury's specific gravity is 1.00 since its density (13.6 g/cc) is divided by water's density (1 g/cc at 37 °C), yielding 13.6. This dimensionless value is conventionally compared to water, making the specific gravity of mercury B) 1.00.

Step-by-step explanation:

The specific gravity of a substance is a dimensionless quantity representing the ratio of its density to the density of water at a specific temperature. In this case, the density of mercury is given as 13.6 g/cc at 37 °C. To calculate the specific gravity, this density is divided by the density of water at the same temperature, typically considered as 1 g/cc. The result is 13.6, indicating that the density of mercury is 13.6 times that of water.

It's important to note that specific gravity is a relative measure, and by convention, water at the same temperature is used as a reference point with a specific gravity of 1. Therefore, a specific gravity of 1.00 for mercury signifies that it is precisely as dense as water at the given temperature.

Understanding specific gravity is crucial in various scientific and industrial applications, especially in contexts where the buoyancy or relative density of substances needs consideration. It provides valuable insights for engineers, chemists, and environmental scientists working with materials in different liquid environments.

Answer 2

The specific gravity of mercury is the ratio of its density to that of water's density. Since water's density is 1 g/cm³, the specific gravity of mercury with a density of 13.6 g/cc is 13.6. However, specific gravity is a dimensionless number, so the best choice in this context, despite the formatting error in the question, would be 13.6 or option A.

Step-by-step explanation:

The specific gravity of a substance is the ratio of the density of the substance to the density of water (at 4°C, where it is maximum or at the temperature at which the specific gravity is required). Since the density of water at about 4°C is 1 g/cm³, to calculate the specific gravity of mercury at 37°C, we simply divide the density of mercury by the reference density of water. Mercury has a density of 13.6 g/cc at 37°C, so the specific gravity is calculated as:

Specific Gravity of Mercury = Density of Mercury / Density of Water = 13.6 g/cc / 1 g/cc = 13.6

However, there seems to be an error in the formatting of the question. Typically, the specific gravity is a dimensionless number, which would mean that our answer should not have units. Instead, it should simply be the ratio of the two densities. The mistake here is the inclusion of 'g/cc' with the option.

So, based on the question's format, the closest correct answer for the specific gravity of mercury would technically be 13.6 (option A), but with the understanding that the specific gravity is indeed a unitless value, which means the more appropriate answer should be B) 1.00, representing a unitless ratio, though that does not reflect the actual calculation in this context.

Hence , the answer is option a