Question

18. The density of water is 1.0 g cm-?. The density
of iron is 7.8 g cm-?. The density of mercury is
13.6 g cm-3. Answer the following:
(a) Will a piece of iron float or sink in water?
(b) Will a piece of iron float or sink in mercury ?​

Answer 1

An object sinks when density of the object is greater than density of surrounding fluid medium.

(i) Since density of iron > density of water, iron sinks.

(ii) Since, density of iron < density of mercury, iron floats