Final answer:
To find the volume of the water displaced by the zinc, we can use the formula density = mass/volume and rearrange it to volume = mass/density. The volume of water displaced is equal to the volume of the zinc, which is 9.52 mL. The correct answer is option a) 9.52 mL.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the volume of water displaced by the zinc, we need to find the volume of the zinc first. We can use the formula density = mass/volume to calculate the volume of the zinc. Rearranging the formula gives us volume = mass/density. Plugging in the values from the problem, we have volume = 68.6 g / 7.2 g/cm³ = 9.52 cm³. Since 1 cm³ of water has a volume of 1 mL, the volume of water displaced is also 9.52 mL. Therefore, the correct answer is option a) 9.52 mL.