A scientist is studying rocks found within layers of Earth. She finds a rock with a mass of 72 grams and a volume of 24cm^3. The table shows the average densities of rocks that are commonly found in the area where the scientist found the rock. Densities are round to the nearest tenth.
According to the data what type of rock did the scientist find
A. Shale
B. Limestone
C. Sandstone
D. Quartzite
To determine the type of rock the scientist found, we need to compare the density of the rock to the densities listed in the table.
The given rock has a mass of 72 grams and a volume of 24 cm^3. To find the density, we divide the mass by the volume:
Density = mass / volume
Density = 72 g / 24 cm^3
Density = 3 g/cm^3
Now, we compare this density to the densities listed in the table:
- Shale: 2.6 g/cm^3
- Limestone: 2.7 g/cm^3
- Sandstone: 2.3 g/cm^3
- Quartzite: 2.6 g/cm^3
The density of the rock found is closest to that of limestone, which has a density of 2.7 g/cm^3. Therefore, the scientist most likely found B. Limestone.