Final answer:
The density of the gold nugget is found by dividing the mass (521 g) by the volume displaced (27.0 mL), which results in a density of 19.3 g/mL, consistent with the known density of gold.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks to calculate the density of gold based on the volume displacement method. When the gold nugget is submerged in water, the water level rises, indicating the volume of gold. Since the water level starts at 50.0 mL and rises to 77.0 mL after submerging the gold nugget, the volume of the gold nugget is the difference between these two values, which is 27.0 mL (77.0 mL - 50.0 mL). The mass of the gold nugget is provided as 521 g.
To find the density (density), we use the formula:
density = mass / volume
Here, the density of gold is calculated as follows:
density = 521 g / 27.0 mL = 19.3 g/mL
This value matches the known density of gold, which is typically about 19.3 g/mL.