Final answer:
To find the density with one measurement, calculate the mass-to-volume ratio using the formula Density = Mass / Volume. The mass is typically found using an analytical balance, and the volume is calculated through geometry for solids or measured directly for liquids or irregular solids.
Step-by-step explanation:
Finding the density of an object typically involves measuring its mass and volume separately, then calculating the density using the formula Density = Mass / Volume. For regular solids, volume can be determined through geometric calculations - for example, the volume of a rectangle is the product of its length, width, and height. The mass of the object is usually weighed on an analytical balance. Once you have both mass and volume, you can calculate an object's mass-to-volume ratio, and this is the density of the substance.
To determine density with one measurement of volume and mass, you would first weigh the object to find its mass. Then, if the object is a regular solid, use geometric formulas to calculate its volume - for instance, a cube's volume would be the edge length cubed. For irregular shapes or liquids, you might use water displacement or other methods to determine volume. With these two measurements, you can then divide the mass by the volume to find the density. Plotting mass against volume for different samples and finding the slope of this line graph can also help determine the density, as the slope represents the mass-to-volume ratio.
If you only have a single point (one mass and volume measurement), finding the intercept or estimating the slope is not appropriate as these methods require multiple data points. In this case, simply use the direct mass and volume measurements to calculate density.