Sure, let's analyze the definitions of density step-by-step to determine the most accurate one.
1. Option A: Mass per unit volume of a solid
- This definition states that density is determined by measuring the mass of the solid and dividing it by its volume. Mathematically, density (ρ) can be expressed as:
[tex]\[
\rho = \frac{\text{mass}}{\text{volume}}
\][/tex]
- This is a standard and widely accepted definition of density in scientific contexts.
2. Option B: Weight per unit volume of a solid
- Weight is the force exerted by gravity on an object's mass. While weight is related to mass through gravity (weight = mass × gravitational acceleration), density is usually defined in terms of mass and volume, not weight and volume. This definition could be misleading.
3. Option C: Amount of water displaced when a unit mass of the solid is immersed in
- This option describes a principle related to buoyancy and Archimedes' principle, but it does not directly describe density. Archimedes' principle relates to the volume of water displaced by an object, which can be used to determine volume, not density directly.
4. Option D: Mass of the solid compared to the mass of an equal volume of water
- This option is describing the concept of relative density or specific gravity, which is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance (typically water). While related, it is not the standard definition of density itself.
Based on this analysis, the most accurate and scientifically accepted definition of density is:
Option A: Mass per unit volume of a solid.
