Question

Suppose you have a cube of nickel and a cube of cobalt, but you don't know which is which. How could you use the characteristic properties to figure out which cube is nickel and which is cobalt? Which one is the correct answer?

A. Measure the mass of each cube and compare it to the known densities of nickel and cobalt.
B. Observe the color of each cube and match it to the characteristic colors of nickel and cobalt.
C. Heat each cube to a high temperature and observe the melting point to identify the metal.
D. Expose the cubes to oxygen and observe which one tarnishes (rusts) to identify the metal.

Answer 1

To determine which cube is nickel and which is cobalt, you can measure the mass and compare it to their known densities.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine which cube is nickel and which is cobalt, you can use the characteristic properties of these metals. The correct answer is A. Measure the mass of each cube and compare it to the known densities of nickel and cobalt.

Nickel has a higher density than cobalt, so the cube with a greater mass will be nickel and the cube with a lower mass will be cobalt. Density is a physical property that can be used to identify different substances.

By measuring the mass and comparing it to the known densities of nickel and cobalt, you can determine which cube is which.