Question

Do you think that determining the volumes of your metal samples by measuring the dimensions and calculating would be more or less accurate than determining these volumes by the displacement method? Explain.

Answer 1

Determining the volume of a metal sample via the displacement method is generally more accurate than calculating volume from measured dimensions, especially for irregular-shaped objects, due to direct measurement without assuming perfect geometry.

Step-by-step explanation:

When it comes to determining the volume of metal samples, the two common methods include direct measurement of dimensions and calculation or the displacement method. Measuring the dimensions (length, width, height) of a regular-shaped object and calculating its volume is a straightforward approach; however, this method may be less accurate than displacement due to potential errors in measurement and assumptions about perfect geometry.

On the other hand, the displacement method, which is based on the principle that a submerged object displaces a volume of fluid equal to its own volume, might provide a more accurate volume measurement, especially for irregularly shaped objects.

The accuracy of the displacement method relies on the fact that it can directly measure the volume of an object without assuming perfect geometric shapes, which is not always the case with real-world objects. This technique, often associated with Archimedes' principle, involves submerging the object in water and measuring the volume of water displaced, which corresponds to the volume of the object.