Is This Bracelet Made of Gold or Copper?

Question:

Based on the given data, is the bracelet made of gold or copper?

Answer:

The bracelet is made of gold.

Upon submerging the chain bracelet in a graduated cylinder containing water, the volume of the water rose from 9.2 cm³ to 11.7 cm³. The bracelet has a mass of 45g. To determine if the bracelet is made of gold or copper, we can calculate the density of the bracelet using the formula:

Density = Mass / Volume

Given that the volume of water displaced by the bracelet is 2.5 cm³ (11.7 cm³ - 9.2 cm³), we can substitute the values into the formula:

Density = 45g / 2.5cm³ = 18g/cm³

Comparing the calculated density of 18g/cm³ to the known densities of gold (19.3 g/cm³) and copper (8.92 g/cm³), we find that the density of the bracelet is closer to that of gold. Therefore, it can be concluded that the bracelet is made of gold.