Which of the following best describes the relationship between mass and volume in the calculation of density?

• A. Density is equal to mass divided by volume (density = mass / volume).
• B. Density is equal to volume divided by mass (density = volume / mass).
• C. Density is equal to mass multiplied by volume (density = mass × volume).
• D. Density is the sum of mass and volume (density = mass + volume).

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the definition of density in chemistry, which is a measure of how much mass is contained in a given volume of a substance.
2. Express the relationship mathematically: density (\rho) is defined as the ratio of mass (m) to volume (V). This can be written as \(\rho = \frac{m}{V}\).
3. Understand that this means density increases if mass increases while volume remains constant, and density decreases if volume increases while mass remains constant.
4. Evaluate the other options by comparing them to the correct formula: volume divided by mass, mass multiplied by volume, and sum of mass and volume do not correctly represent density.
5. Conclude that the best description of the relationship between mass and volume in the calculation of density is that density equals mass divided by volume.