Your Name: __________________________________
Partners Name: __________________________________
Pre- or Post- 1982 Penny: ________________________
Density Lab
Pennies, water and alcohol
Part 1a: Dial-o-gram Balance and Ruler Measurements
Number of
Mass
Height
Diameter
Volume
Pennies
(g)
(cm)
(cm)
(cm3)
Part 1b: Digital Balance and Displacement
Number of
Mass
Volume
Pennies
(g)
(ml)
*** The formula for volume can be found in your planner!!!
Part 2a: Mass vs. Volume of Water
Volume of water
Mass
(ml)
(g)
Part 2b: Mass vs. Volume of Alcohol
Volume of Alcohol
Mass
(mL)
(g)
Data Analysis
Part 1 a & b
1. Using graph paper, graph Mass vs. Volume as a scatter plot and make a circle () around each data point.
2. Draw a best-fit line on your graph. Use a calculator to generate an equation for the best-fit line that fits your data. If you
do not have a calculator, pick two points on the line and calculate the slope of the line. The line should follow the
equation y = mx + b (think back to your days in algebra).
3. Use the equation for the best-fit line to determine the density of the penny (think about your axis and what ‘m’ is).
4. On the same graph, plot Mass vs. Volume as you did for Part 1a, this time make a square () around each data point.
5. Determine the equation for the best-fit line using the same method as Part 1a and use it to determine the density.
Part 2 a & b
1. Using the other graph, create a graph of mass vs. volume, this time for your water and alcohol data from day 2.
2. Graph the water data, making a circle () around each data point and add a trend line for your data.
3. Use your graph to determine the slope of the line and the density of water same as for Part 1a and 1b
4. Graph the alcohol data, making a square () around each data point and adding a trend line for your data.
5. Use your graph to determine the slope of the line and the density of water same as for Part 1a and 1b
Your Name: __________________________________
Partners Name: __________________________________
Pre- or Post- 1982 Penny: ________________________
Density Lab Questions
Pennies, water and alcohol
Part 1b
Part 1a
Line Equation = _________________________________
Line Equation = _________________________________
Density of Penny = __________________________________
Density of Penny =_________________________________
***Using the graphs from Part 1a and Part 1b, complete the data table above.
Questions:
1. Does the data on the graphs represent a direct or indirect relationship? Explain your answer.
2. In this lab, you graphed mass vs. volume. Explain how you used this graph to determine the density of the pennies.
(Hint: Think about the formula for slope).
3. The density of pennies made after 1982 is approximately 7.18 g/cm3 and the density of a penny prior to 1982 is
approximately 8.92 g/cm3. How do your values compare to the actual density value? Using the density determined
from your graphs for Part 1a & 1b, calculate percent error as Part of your answer  Percent Error = (experimental - actual) ×100  .


(actual)


4. What are some possible errors (at least 3) that could have affected your results for the density of a penny? Explain how
each error would affect the density of your pennies.
5. How does your best-fit line for Part 1a compare to your best-fit line for Part 1b? Explain why.
6. Which one of the two methods used (Part 1a: dial-o-gram balance with ruler and calculations or Part 1b: digital balance
with volume displacement) do you think was most accurate? Explain your answer.
7. Which one of the two methods used (Part 1a or Part 1b) do you think was most precise? Explain your answer.
8. Based on the calculated volume and displaced volume from Part 1a and 1b respectively, what is the relationship you found
between the units of cm3 (cubic centimeters) and mL (milliliters)?
9. Enter your data into the LabQuest and use it to find the best-fit line and report the equation for your line. How does this
compare to the original slope equation you determined? Explain.
10. Using the best-fit line from your calculator, the LabQuest, or the one you mathematically determined, find the following
values and include units.
a.
The volume if the mass is 7.80 g.
______________________________
b.
The volume if the mass is 21.71 g.
______________________________
c.
The mass if the volume is 1.53 cm3.
______________________________
d.
The mass if the volume is 3.45 ml.
______________________________
Part 2b
Part 2a
Line Equation = _________________________________
Line Equation = _________________________________
Density of Penny = __________________________________
Density of Penny =_________________________________
***Using the graphs from Part 1a and Part 1b, complete the data table above.
11. Does the data on the graphs represent a direct or indirect relationship? Explain your answer.
12. If you were only given the two graphs (Part 2a and Part 2b) how could you tell which substance has greater density?
13. The density of water is approximately 1.00 g/mL and the density of rubbing alcohol is approximately 0.79 g/mL. How
do your values compare to the actual density value? Using the density determined from your graphs for Part 2a & 2b,
calculate percent error as Part of your answer  Percent Error = (experimental - actual) ×100  .


14. Below you are given the data for glycerine and gasoline.
a. Which of the two liquids has the greatest density?
(actual)


Glycerine
Volume
Mass
0.75
0.945
1.22
1.5372
4.36
5.4936
6.45
8.127
8.84
11.1384
Gasoline
Volume
Mass
0.99
0.79497
2.51
2.01553
4.01
3.22003
7.1
5.7013
9.37
7.52411
b.
What is the density of each of the substances? Show
your work below.
c.
If glycerine and gasoline were placed in the same
container, and assuming there is no mixing, which
material will form the bottom layer? Explain.
d.
Water and rubbing alcohol are added to the container with glycerine and gasoline. Sketch a density column and
label each layer.
15. Given that aluminum has a density of 2.70 g/cm3, if a sample has a volume of 4.71 cm3, what mass will it have?
Name: ______________________________________
Date: ______________________________________
Part 1a and 1b Graphs
Part 2a and 2b Graphs