🔬 Science & TechnologyUPSC 2005Space & Space Technology

Which one of the following is the correct sequence of the given substances in the decreasing order of their densities?

aSteel > Mercury > Gold
bGold > Mercury > Steel
cSteel > Gold > Mercury
dGold > Steel > Mercury
✓ Correct answer: b) Gold > Mercury > Steel
ExplanationDensity is a physical property that represents the compactness of a substance.It is defined as the mass of a substance per unit volume.The higher the density, the more mass is packed into a given volume.Gold is known for its high density.It is a dense metal with a density of approximately 19.3 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³).This makes gold denser than both steel and mercury.Mercury is a liquid metal at room temperature and has a relatively low density compared to both gold and steel.Its density is approximately 13.6 g/cm³, making it less dense than gold but denser than steel.Steel, which is an alloy primarily composed of iron and carbon, has a lower density than gold but is still relatively dense compared to many other materials.The density of steel varies depending on its composition, but it typically ranges from around 7.7 g/cm³ to 8.1 g/cm³.217

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