Final answer:
The mass of water displaced by the rock is 198 g, the rock's volume is 198 cm³, and its average density is approximately 2.73 g/cm³, consistent with granite.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question provided requires application of principles of fluid displacement and density to determine various properties of a rock. To find the mass of water displaced by the rock, we subtract the apparent mass of the rock when submerged in water (342 g) from the mass of the rock in air (540 g). This gives us a displaced water mass of 198 g. To calculate the volume of the rock, we use the fact that the mass of water displaced by the rock (when submerged) is equal to the volume of the rock (assuming the density of water is 1 g/cm³). Therefore, the volume of the rock is 198 cm³. To determine the average density of the rock, we divide the mass of the rock in air by its volume, which gives us an average density of 540 g / 198 cm³, or approximately 2.73 g/cm³. This density value is indeed consistent with that of granite, which generally ranges from 2.65 to 2.75 g/cm³.