Answer :

Certainly! Let's determine whether the liquid with a specific gravity of 1.28 is lighter or heavier than water.

### Step-by-Step Solution

1. Understanding Specific Gravity:
- Specific gravity is a dimensionless quantity that compares the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance (usually water for liquids at 4°C or 39.2°F, where the density of water is 1.0 g/cm³).
- If the specific gravity of a liquid is greater than 1, the liquid is denser (heavier) than water.
- If the specific gravity of a liquid is less than 1, the liquid is less dense (lighter) than water.
- If the specific gravity of a liquid is equal to 1, it has the same density as water.

2. Given Data:
- The specific gravity of the liquid is 1.28.

3. Comparison with Water:
- The specific gravity of water is taken as 1.0.

4. Comparative Analysis:
- Specific gravity of the given liquid (1.28) > Specific gravity of water (1.0).

5. Conclusion:
- Since the specific gravity of the liquid (1.28) is greater than the specific gravity of water (1.0), the liquid is denser and therefore heavier than water.

### Final Answer:
The liquid with a specific gravity of 1.28 is heavier than water.