why doesn't density depend on size? If you cut a block in half, and put it in water, wouldn't the density change because I think half a block wouldn't sink all the way in water?
Because density is the mass of a single unit, not of the entire object.
thanks, but can you explain my second question?
Density = Mass/Volume
Cutting it in half will reduce both mass and volume by half. If the whole block sinks, the half block will also sink, because both will be heavier than the amount of water they are displacing.
what would make it sink halfway down?
The density of an object does not depend on its size because density is defined as the mass of an object divided by its volume. The relationship between mass, volume, and density remains constant regardless of the size of the object.
When you cut a block in half and put it in water, the mass of the block will be divided in half, but the volume of each piece will also be reduced by half. As a result, the ratio of mass to volume, which is the definition of density, remains the same. Even though the individual pieces may have different shapes and may not completely sink in water, their densities will remain unchanged.
To calculate the density of an object, you need to know its mass and volume. Mass can be measured using a balance, while volume can be determined by various methods such as measuring dimensions or using displacement. Once you have these values, you can divide the mass by the volume to find the density.
In summary, the density of an object is independent of its size because it is determined by the ratio of mass to volume. Cutting an object in half may change its shape and buoyancy, but it will not alter its density.