Final answer:
The density of the acid can be found using Archimedes' principle. To determine the density of water or a soil sample, measure the mass of a known volume and divide the mass by the volume.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve the question about the density of the acid in which the piece of glass weighed 18 N, we can use Archimedes' principle which states that the buoyant force on an object submerged in a fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.
The weight of the glass in air is 52 N, which gives us the true weight of the glass. The apparent weight in water is 32 N, hence the buoyant force in water is
52 N - 32 N = 20 N.
This buoyant force is equal to the weight of the water displaced, which means the volume of the glass is equivalent to the mass of 20 N of water (noting that 1 g/cm³ is the density of water and 9.81 m/s² is the acceleration due to gravity).
Similarly, in sulfuric acid, the buoyant force is the difference between the true weight and the apparent weight, i.e.,
52 N - 18 N = 34 N.
Knowing the weight of the displaced fluid allows us to calculate the density of the sulfuric acid.
To determine the density of water, one could perform an experiment by measuring the mass of a known volume of water, ensuring the water is at standard temperature and pressure conditions. The mass divided by the volume will give the density.
To determine the density of a soil sample in the laboratory, one would measure the mass of a known volume of the soil. This could involve using a container of known volume, filling it with the soil, weighing it, and then calculating the density by dividing the mass by the soil's volume.