Final answer:
A block with a mass of 23g and volume of 27cm³ has a density of approximately 0.85 g/cm³, which is less than the density of water. The principle of buoyancy implies it will float, hence the correct answer is (a) float.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is whether a block with a mass of 23g and measuring 3cm in all directions will float or sink in water. The density of the block can be calculated using the formula density = mass/volume. Given the mass (23g) and volume (3cm x 3cm x 3cm = 27cm³), the density of the block is approximately 0.85g/cm³. Since the density of water is 1.00g/cm³, the density of the block is less than that of water, which indicates that the block will float. According to the principle of buoyancy, an object will float if its density is less than the density of the fluid it is placed in.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is (a) float.