Exciting Density Calculation Challenge!

What is the density of the solution based on the given data?

Given data: Initial mass of flask and stopper = 99.895 g, Final mass of flask, stopper, and solution = 126.975 g, Total volume of flask = 20.0 ml

Answer:

The density of the solution using the given information is 27.08 g/0 ml.

A student weighs an empty 20 ml volumetric flask and stopper and finds the mass to be 99.895 g. After adding an unknown substance to the flask and then adding water to dissolve it to a total solution volume of 20.0 ml, the student reweighs the solution and flask to find a mass of 126.975 g. To calculate the density of the solution, we need to determine the mass of the solution and the volume it occupies.

First, we calculate the mass of the solution by subtracting the initial mass of the flask and stopper (99.895 g) from the final mass of the flask, stopper, and solution (126.975 g):

Mass of solution = 126.975 g - 99.895 g = 27.08 g

Next, we need to determine the volume of the solution. The total volume of the flask is 20.0 ml, but some of this volume is occupied by the solid substance added by the student. To find the volume of the solution, we subtract the volume occupied by the solid from the total volume of the flask. Since the solid completely dissolves in water, the volume of the solid is equal to the final volume of the solution:

Volume of solution = Total volume of flask - Volume of solid = 20.0 ml - 20.0 ml = 0 ml

Now, we have the mass of the solution (27.08 g) and the volume of the solution (0 ml). Density is defined as mass divided by volume, so we can calculate the density:

Density = 27.08 g / 0 ml

However, dividing by zero is undefined, which means we cannot determine the density of the solution using the given information.