Which of the following best explains how density can be used to determine if tea is sweetened?

• A. Sweetened tea and unsweetened tea always have the same density.
• B. Sweetened tea has a higher density than unsweetened tea due to dissolved sugar.
• C. Density cannot be used to distinguish between sweetened and unsweetened tea.
• D. Sweetened tea has a lower density than unsweetened tea because sugar displaces water.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the definition of density, which is mass per unit volume, expressed as \(\text{density} = \frac{\text{mass}}{\text{volume}}\).
2. Understand that when sugar is dissolved in tea, it adds mass without significantly increasing the volume, because the sugar molecules fit into the spaces between water molecules.
3. Recognize that adding sugar increases the total mass of the solution while the volume changes only slightly, leading to an increase in density.
4. Compare the densities of sweetened and unsweetened tea: sweetened tea will have a higher density due to the dissolved sugar, while unsweetened tea has only water and tea components with lower mass per volume.
5. Conclude that measuring the density of tea can help determine if it is sweetened, because a higher density indicates the presence of dissolved sugar.