Answer the following questions. (c) A certain type of wood has a density of 0.40 g/cm³. What is the mass of 1.0 cord of this wood in kg, where 1 cord is 128 cubic feet of wood?

Key Concepts

Density

Density is defined as mass per unit volume, typically expressed in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³) or kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³). It is a crucial property that helps determine how much mass is contained in a given volume of a substance. In this question, the density of the wood is given as 0.40 g/cm³, which will be used to calculate the mass of the wood based on its volume.

Volume Conversion

To solve the problem, it is necessary to convert the volume of wood from cubic feet to cubic centimeters, as the density is provided in g/cm³. One cord of wood is equivalent to 128 cubic feet, and knowing that 1 cubic foot equals approximately 28,316.8 cubic centimeters allows for the conversion. This step is essential to ensure that the units are consistent when calculating mass.

Mass Calculation

Mass can be calculated using the formula: mass = density × volume. Once the volume of the wood in cubic centimeters is determined, multiplying it by the density will yield the mass in grams. To convert this mass into kilograms, one must divide the result by 1,000, as there are 1,000 grams in a kilogram. This final step is necessary to express the mass in the desired unit.