A CHM 111 student recorded the mass of a piece of dry lead metal as 23.7412 g. He obtained a graduated cylinder and recorded an initial water volume of 25.0 mL; upon addition of the metal, the water level rose to 27.1 mL. Calculate the density of lead in units of g/mL. (Watch your sig figs!)

Answer 1

density = mass/volume
You have the mass metal given.
Volume = 27.1-25.0 = ? That's because of the Law of Impenetrability which says that two objects can't occupy the same volume at the same time. So when the Pb was placed in the graduated cylinder the water level ROSE because the Pb displaced that much volume.

Answer 2

11.30