The volume of metal a person can lift in air, given a specific gravity of 8.50 cgs for the metal, is 0.005294 cubic meters. To find out the volume the person could lift in water, the buoyant force must be taken into account, which requires additional calculations. The actual kilograms lifted in air remains at 45 kg.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question relates to the lifting capacity of a person in different media (air and water) and involves calculations based on specific gravity, a concept in physics. To determine the volume of metal a person can lift in air, we'd use the specific gravity and the lifting capacity in kilograms. For water, we'd consider the buoyant force in addition to the person's lifting capacity.
Specific gravity (SG) is essentially a ratio of the density of a substance to the density of water. Since 1 cubic centimeter (cc) of water has a mass of about 1 gram (g), specific gravity in cgs units is the same number as density but without units. For metal with an SG of 8.50, its density would be 8.50 g/cc.
To find the volume of metal a person can lift in air, we can divide the lifting capacity in grams (45 kg = 45000 g) by the density of the metal. Lifting capacity in air (V) = Mass / Density = 45000 g / 8.50 g/cc = 5294.12 cc = 0.005294 m³.
In the case of lifting in water, we must account for the reduced apparent weight due to the buoyant force. The buoyant force is equal to the weight of the water displaced by the object's volume, and this must be subtracted from the object's weight in the water. However, to calculate this, additional information is required, such as the density of water and a precise calculation method.
The actual kilograms of metal that could be lifted in air would still be 45 kg, but the actual kilograms in water would depend on the volume of metal the person can handle minus the buoyant force exerted by the water on that volume.
The probable question can be: A person can lift 45 kg ( ≈100 lb). Using the experimental value of the specific gravity for the metal object 8.50 cgs, how many cubic meters of the metal could the person lift (a) in air, (b) in water? How many actual kilograms of metal is this in air, and in water?