Final answer:
To calculate volume and density, measure the mass and the displaced water volume. Use the formula 'density = mass / volume' and for average density of multiple samples, find the mean of their densities. To compare, do the same for both substances and analyze the results.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the volume and density for each sample, you will first measure the mass and the volume that the sample displaces in water. The mass is usually measured using a scale, and the volume can be determined by the water displacement method. This method involves measuring the volume of water before and after the object is submerged, with the difference being the volume of the object. Once you have the mass (m) and volume (V), density (ρ) is calculated using the formula: ρ = m / V. To calculate the average density of six samples, sum up the densities of all six samples and divide by six.
In the case of calculating Earth's average density compared to that of an ice moon like Mimas, you would take the mass and volume data provided (see Table 7.2 as mentioned in the instructions), calculate the density for Earth and Mimas separately using the density formula above, and then compare the two values.