Janice measured the mass and the volume of an object. She then determined the density of the object by dividing the object's mass by its volume ([tex]D=\frac{m}{v}[/tex]).

Which value would most likely represent the density of the object?

A. [tex]-1 \, \text{g/cm}^3[/tex]
B. [tex]4 \, \text{m/s}[/tex]
C. [tex]-3 \, \text{m/s}[/tex]
D. [tex]6 \, \text{g/cm}^3[/tex]



Answer :

To determine the most likely value that represents the density of the object, we need to understand a few key principles about density and units of measurement.

1. Definition of Density:
- Density (D) is defined as the mass (m) of an object divided by its volume (v). The formula is [tex]\( D = \frac{m}{v} \)[/tex].

2. Units of Density:
- The standard units of density are mass per unit volume. For example, in the metric system, it is typically expressed as grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³) or kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³).

Given the choices:
- [tex]\(-1 \text{ g/cm}^3\)[/tex]:
- This value has the correct units of density (g/cm³). However, density cannot be negative as mass and volume are always positive quantities in realistic physical contexts.

- [tex]\(4 \text{ m/s}\)[/tex]:
- This value represents a speed or velocity. The units are meters per second (m/s), which are not related to mass or volume. Therefore, this cannot represent a density.

- [tex]\(-3 \text{ m/s}\)[/tex]:
- Similar to the previous choice, this is also a speed/velocity with units of meters per second (m/s) and is not related to density. Moreover, velocity being negative indicates direction but does not pertain to density measurements.

- [tex]\(6 \text{ g/cm}^3\)[/tex]:
- This value has the correct units for density (g/cm³). It is a positive value, making it physically feasible and consistent with how density is defined and measured.

Hence, the most likely value that represents the density of the object is:
[tex]\[ 6 \text{ g/cm}^3 \][/tex]