Illinois Field Crop Applicators Practice Test

What does the density of a solution represent?

1. Weight per unit of volume

2. Volume per unit of weight

3. Mass of a solution

4. Viscosity of a liquid

The correct answer is: Weight per unit of volume

The density of a solution is a measure of how much mass is contained within a given volume. Specifically, it is calculated as the weight of the solution divided by its volume, which is expressed mathematically as density = mass/volume. This property is crucial in various applications, including agriculture, where understanding the concentration of fertilizers or pesticides in a solution can influence effectiveness and application strategies. The other choices do not accurately define density. Volume per unit of weight pertains to specific volume, which is the inverse of density. The mass of a solution alone does not provide information about how that mass relates to the volume it occupies, which is essential for understanding density. Viscosity refers to a fluid's resistance to flow and is unrelated to the concept of density. Therefore, recognizing that density is fundamentally about weight per unit of volume clarifies why the first choice is the correct one.