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Discover Physics for GCE O Level Science (4 Edition): Full Solutions to Textbook Questions Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Mass, Weight and Density

Test Yourself 4.1 (page 74)

1. (Any four differences)

Mass Weight
An amount of matter A gravitational force
A scalar quantity (i.e. has only A vector quantity (i.e. has both magnitude
magnitude) and direction)
SI unit: kilogram (kg) SI unit: newton (N)
Independent of the gravitational field Dependent on the gravitational field
strength strength
Measured with a beam balance or a Measured with a spring balance
calibrated electronic balance

2. Mass is the amount of matter in a body. It is not affected by changes in the physical
environment.

3. First, we deduce the mass of the astronaut.

WEarth = mgEarth
1
1200 N = m 10 N kg
1200 N
m= 1
10 N kg
= 120 kg
Hence, his weight on Jupiter is
WJupiter = mgJupiter
-1
= 120 kg 22.9 N kg
= 2750 N

4. By the definition of the newton (N), it can be written as:

2
N = kg m s
1 2 1
Hence, N kg = (kg m s ) kg
2
= m s (shown)

Test Yourself 4.2 & 4.3 (page 80)

1. (a) The car with marathon runners has a smaller total mass. Therefore, it has lower inertia and
takes off faster. This can also be explained using the formula F = ma. If m is smaller, a is
larger for a constant F. The car with the smaller mass will have a larger acceleration.
(b) The car with the sumo wrestlers will need a longer braking distance since it has higher
inertia and hence, greater reluctance to come to a stop.

2. 1000 kg
Density of water water = 3
1m
(1000 1000) g
= 3 3
(100 ) cm
3
= 1 g cm
3
Hence, 1 cm of water has a mass of 1 g.

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Discover Physics for GCE O Level Science (4 Edition): Full Solutions to Textbook Questions Chapter 4

3. (a) The density of a substance is defined as its mass per unit volume.
(b) (i) The density of an irregularly shaped object that sinks in water can be measured using
the displacement method.

Apparatus: displacement can, measuring cylinder, electronic balance

Procedure:
1. Fill a displacement can with water up to the brim of its spout. Place a measuring
cylinder below the spout.
2. Measure the mass m of the irregularly shaped object using the electronic balance.
3. Slowly and carefully lower the object into the water in the displacement can.
Water will be displaced through the spout into the measuring cylinder.
4. Measure the volume V of the water displaced. This is equivalent to the volume of
the object.
m
5. The density of the object is found by = .
V
(ii) The density of an irregularly shaped object that floats in water can be measured using
the displacement method, with the use of a sinker.

Apparatus: measuring cylinder, electronic balance, lead sinker

Procedure:
1. Immerse a lead sinker in a measuring cylinder containing water. Record the
volume V1 and the total mass m1 of the lead sinker, water and measuring cylinder.
2. Retrieve the lead sinker and tie the object to the lead sinker. Lower the tied items
carefully into the cylinder. Record the new volume V2 and the total mass m2.
V2 V1
3. The density of the object is .
m2 m1

Get It Right (page 80)

(a) True
(b) False
Gravitational force is given by the product of mass and gravitational field strength. Therefore, it is
different for objects with different masses or objects falling at different locations.
(c) False
Gravitational force acts on all masses that are in a gravitational field.
(d) True
(e) False
Mass is a scalar quantity, whereas weight is a vector quantity.
(f) True
(g) False
If a block of metal is broken into two equal parts, the density of each part is the same as the
density of the original metal block.

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Discover Physics for GCE O Level Science (4 Edition): Full Solutions to Textbook Questions Chapter 4

Lets Review (pages 8182)

Section A: Multiple-Choice Questions

1. C
The mass of the object is the amount of matter in it. It does not change with location (i.e. it is the
same on the Moon and on Earth.). Weight is the gravitational force of the planet on the object. It
is affected by the gravitational field strength of the planet. Since the Moon has a weaker
gravitational field strength than Earth, the gravitational force that acts on the object when it is on
the Moon is weaker. Therefore, the weight of the object is less on the Moon than on Earth.

2. A
Inertia is the reluctance of an object to change its state of rest or motion, due to its mass. A train
with high inertia will have difficulty starting to move (reluctance to change its state of rest) and
stopping once it is in motion (reluctance to change its state of motion).

3. D
Mass of stone = 800 g
3 3
Volume of stone = 700 cm 300 cm
3
= 400 cm
mass
Density of stone =
volume
800 g
= 3
400 cm
3
= 2.0 g cm

4. B
Mass of object = 100 g
3
Density of object = 5 g cm
mass
The volume of the object can be calculated using the formula, density = .
volume
mass
Volume of object =
density
100 g
= 3
5 g cm
3
= 20 cm
3 3
Final volume reading = 50 cm + 20 cm
3
= 70 cm

5. C
The volumes and densities of the four pillars are:

Cross-
3 3
Mass/kg Height/m sectional Volume/m Density/kg m
2
area/m
2 3 1000 kg 3
A 1000 0.5 1 0.5 m 1 m = 0.5 m 3 = 2000 kg m
0.5 m
2 3 1000 kg 3
B 1000 1.0 2 1.0 m 2 m = 2.0 m 3 = 500 kg m
2.0 m
2 3 2000 kg 3
C 2000 0.5 1 0.5 m 1 m = 0.5 m 3 = 4000 kg m
0.5 m
2 3 2000 kg 3
D 2000 1.0 2 1.0 m 2 m = 2.0 m 3 = 1000 kg m
2.0 m

Therefore, the pillar in option (C) has the highest density.

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Discover Physics for GCE O Level Science (4 Edition): Full Solutions to Textbook Questions Chapter 4

6. B
mass 100 g 3
Density of liquid 1 = = 3 = 1.0 g cm
volume 100 cm
50 g 3
Density of liquid 2 = 3 = 1.0 g cm
50 cm
100 g 3
Density of liquid 3 = 3 = 2.0 g cm
50 cm
Therefore, liquid 3 has twice the density of liquid 1 and liquid 2.

Section B: Structured Questions

1. (a) The density of a substance is its mass per unit volume. The SI unit of density is the
3
kilogram per cubic metre (kg m ).
(b) Solid A and solid B displace the same volume of water when completely immersed. This
means that both solids have the same volume.

mass
Since density = ,
volume
the ratio of the density of solid A to that of solid B is
12 g
V 12 g 3
= = =
8g 8g 2
V
Hence, the density of solid A is 1.5 times greater than the density of solid B.

2. (a) (i) Volume of wire = length cross-sectional area

2
= 50 cm 0.01 cm
3
= 0.5 cm
(ii) mass
Density of wire =
volume
3.5 g
= 3
0.5 cm
3
= 7.0 g cm
(b) Micrometer screw gauge
3
3. (a) (i) Total weight W of beaker and 250 cm of paraffin = 2.6 N
1
Gravitational field strength g = 10 N kg

Using the formula W = mg,

W
mass m of filled beaker =
g
2.6 N
= 1
10 N kg
= 0.26 kg
(ii) Mass m of filled beaker = 0.26 kg
3
= 0.26 10 g
= 260 g
(b) Mass of paraffin in beaker = density volume
3 3
= 0.80 g cm 250 cm
= 200 g
Mass of empty beaker = 260 g 200 g = 60 g

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Discover Physics for GCE O Level Science (4 Edition): Full Solutions to Textbook Questions Chapter 4

3
4. (a) Density of gold = 19.3 g cm
Mass of gold = 10.0 g
mass
Volume of gold =
density
10.0 g
= 3
19.3 g cm
3
= 0.52 cm
3
(b) (i) Density of platinum = 21.5 g cm
Volume of platinum wafer = 2.5 cm 1.0 cm 0.2 cm
3
= 0.5 cm
Mass of platinum wafer = density volume
3 3
= 21.5 g cm 0.5 cm
= 10.8 g
(ii) Mass of wafer = 4.45 g
3
Volume of wafer = 0.5 cm
mass
Density of wafer =
volume
4.45 g
= 3
0.5 cm
3
= 8.9 g cm
The wafer is made of copper.

Section C: Free-Response Question

1. (a) (i) The mass of the rock is the amount of matter in it. It does not change with location. A
beam balance is an instrument that measures mass.
(ii) The weight of the rock is due to the pull of the gravity on the mass of the rock. Since
the pull of gravity (i.e. the gravitational field strength) is different on Earth and on the
Moon, the weight of the rock is different at these two places. A spring balance is an
instrument that measures weight.
(b) Mass is the amount of matter in a body. Inertia is the reluctance of a body to change its
state of rest or motion. A body with a larger mass will have higher inertia than a body with a
smaller mass.
(c) The students claim is false. If the box were at the front section of the bus, it would have
continued to move forward (due to its inertia) after the driver jammed on the brakes. Since
the student was standing in the middle section of the bus, the box would not have hit the
student.

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