Question

Assume the north american continent can be represented by a slab of rock 4650 km on a side and 34 km deep and the rock has an average mass density of 2890. The continent is moving at a pace of 4.4 cm a year. what is the mass of the continent

Answer 1

To determine the mass of the North American continent, the formula Mass = Density × Volume is used with converted measurements to cubic meters.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the mass of the North American continent based on the dimensions and density provided, the following formula can be used:

Mass = Density × Volume

The volume can be calculated by multiplying the length, width, and depth of the slab of rock representing the continent:

Volume = 4650 km × 4650 km × 34 km

Converting kilometers to meters (since density is given in kg/m³) gives us the volume in cubic meters:

Volume = 4650 × 1000 m × 4650 × 1000 m × 34 × 1000 m

Now, we can use the density of the rock to find the mass:

Mass = 2890 kg/m³ × Volume

It will be a very large number, so we can leave the answer in scientific notation for simplicity. The mass of the continent would thus be the density times the calculated volume of the slab of rock.