In this lab exercise you will calculate the density of lead (Pb).

MATERIALS:

Lead sample (several large fishing sinkers)
Balance
100 - ml graduated cylinder

PROCEDURE:

1. Obtain your lead sample and find the mass to the nearest 0.01 gram. Record the mass on the data table.

2. Put enough distilled water into your 100-ml graduated cylinder so that when the sample is added, it will be completely submerged, but the water level will not go beyond your graduations. Between 40 and 45 ml will be the best. Read the volume and estimate to the nearest 0.1 ml. There is no room for error, so be very accurate. Record on the data table as volume of water.

3. Place your sample into the water in the graduated cylinder. This must be done very carefully so that no water splashes out. Tip the cylinder so that the sample slides in slowly.

4. Making sure that the sample is completely submerged and no air is trapped in the sample. Read the volume to the nearest 0.1 ml and record it in the data table as the volume of water and lead sample.

DATA TABLE:

Mass of lead sample. ___________ g

Volume of water. ___________ ml

Volume of water and lead sample. ___________ ml

CALCULATIONS:

5. Find the volume of the sample. Remember, when something is submerged in water, it displaces water equal to its volume. You have recorded the volume of the water, and the volume of the water plus the sample. This leaves you with a simple subtraction.

Volume of lead sample = ________ ml

6. Now calculate the density of your sample. The sample mass divided by the samples volume. Since no units cancil, the unit for your density will be g / ml.

Density of lead = ________ ^g / _ml

The density of lead is 11.4 ^g / _ml. How does your answer compair to the accepted answer?

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