Physical Chemistry : Density

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Physical Chemistry

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #13 : Phases And Properties Of Matter

When placing common household liquids in a single tube, the liquids will not mix, but instead form distinct layers. Imagine a beaker with corn syrup on the bottom, followed by milk, water, and vegetable oil on top. All liquids have equal volumes.

Based on this information, which of the following statements is true?

Possible Answers:

Vegetable oil is the most dense liquid

Milk is more dense than water

Water is less dense than vegetable oil

All liquids have equal densities, which means they will not mix

Correct answer:

Milk is more dense than water

Explanation:

Since we were told that all the liquids have equal volumes, the masses of the liquids for those volumes will determine which liquid is the most dense. The most dense liquid will sink to the bottom, and the least dense liquid will rise to the top. We know that the milk was underneath the water in the beaker, so we can conclude that milk has a greater density than water.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors