Solve each of the following problems: c. The specific gravity of a vegetable oil is 0.92. What is the mass, in grams, of 750 mL of vegetable oil?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance, typically water for liquids. Since the specific gravity of the vegetable oil is 0.92, its density is 0.92 times the density of water.
2. Recall that the density of water is approximately 1 g/mL. Therefore, the density of the vegetable oil is 0.92 g/mL.
3. Use the formula for mass: \( \text{mass} = \text{density} \times \text{volume} \).
4. Substitute the known values into the formula: \( \text{mass} = 0.92 \, \text{g/mL} \times 750 \, \text{mL} \).
5. Calculate the mass by multiplying the density by the volume to find the mass of the vegetable oil in grams.

Key Concepts

Specific Gravity

Specific gravity is a dimensionless quantity that compares the density of a substance to the density of water at a specified temperature. It is calculated as the ratio of the density of the substance to the density of water (1 g/mL). A specific gravity less than 1 indicates that the substance is less dense than water, which is the case for the vegetable oil in this problem.

Density

Density is defined as mass per unit volume, typically expressed in grams per milliliter (g/mL) or kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³). It is a crucial property in determining how much mass is contained in a given volume of a substance. In this problem, knowing the specific gravity allows us to calculate the density of the vegetable oil, which is essential for finding its mass.

Mass Calculation

Mass can be calculated using the formula: mass = density × volume. In this context, once the density of the vegetable oil is determined from its specific gravity, we can multiply it by the volume (750 mL) to find the mass in grams. This relationship is fundamental in solving problems related to the properties of materials.