Final answer:
Density and mass are directly proportional for blocks of the same volume. A block's size does not inherently determine its density; material composition plays a crucial role. In a sugar and salt comparison, despite similar appearances, salt typically has a higher density, leading to a greater mass for the same volume.
Step-by-step explanation:
In physics, especially when discussing matter, the concepts of mass and density are crucial. Mass refers to the amount of matter contained in an object, while density describes how much mass is contained within a certain volume of that object. For blocks of the same volume, a greater mass will result in a higher density; therefore, the relationship between mass and density is directly proportional.
When observing blocks of different materials but with the same mass in a density simulation, it's evident that the material with a higher density will sink in water, whereas the one with lower density will float. This is due to the fact that the density of water is 1.00 g/mL, and any substance with lower density will float, while substances with a higher density will sink. Hence, the biggest block is not necessarily the densest, as it depends on its material composition.
In the case of the sugar and salt experiment, although they appear similar and occupy the same volume, their densities differ because of the variation in mass and the arrangement of their particles. Usually, salt has a slightly higher density than sugar, resulting in a higher mass if their volumes are the same. The mass can be found by weighing, and density can be calculated using the formula density = mass/volume.