You are playing a game called "Will It Float?" In this game, you are given a large, square can of tuna. If you know the density of water, what is the minimal information you need to decide if the tuna will float in the water?

Question

A.
the mass of the can of tuna
B.
the volume of the can of tuna
C.
the mass and the volume of the can of tuna
D.
the volume of water displaced by the can of tuna

Answer 1

To determine whether the can of tuna will float in water, you need to compare the density of the can of tuna with the density of water. The density of an object can be calculated using the formula:

\[ \text{Density} = \frac{\text{Mass}}{\text{Volume}} \]

Water has a known density (approximately 1 g/cm³).

To decide if the tuna will float, you need to know both the mass and the volume of the can of tuna in order to calculate its density. If the density of the can of tuna is less than the density of water, it will float; if it is greater, it will sink.

Therefore, the minimal information you need to decide if the tuna will float is:

C. the mass and the volume of the can of tuna