Physics 5A Quiz 5, Fall Semester 2007
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
Cf. Giambattista/Richardson/Richardson, Physics, 1/e, Problem 9.37, Comprehensive Problem 9.74
[3.0 points.]  An aluminum cylinder (of density 2.70 x 10^3 kg/m^3) weighs 8.0 N, and has a volume of 3.0 x 10^(-4) m^3.  If the cylinder is suspended from a scale while completely submerged in a fluid, the scale reading is 5.5 N.  What is the density of the fluid?    
(A) 8.5 x 10^2 kg/m^3.  
(B) 1.9 x 10^3 kg/m^3.  
(C) 2.7 x 10^3 kg/m^3.  
(D) 4.6 x 10^3 kg/m^3. 
Correct answer: (A)
From Newton's first law, the upwards bouyant force and tension force must be equal in magnitude to the downwards weight force:
F_B + T = w.
From the definition of the bouyant force, since the object is completely submerged, F_B = rho_fluid*g*Vol, thus:
rho_fluid = (w - T)/(g*Vol).
Choice (B) is T/(g*Vol); choice (B) is w/(g*Vol), which is the density of aluminum; while choice (D) is (w + T)/(g*Vol), which would make the fluid denser than aluminum.
Student responses
Sections 0906, 0907
(A) : 8 students 
(B) : 17 students 
(C) : 7 students
(D) : 7 students
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment