What takes up more space:
A 3 lb. pile of rocks
-or-
A 3 lb. pile of feathers
2006-09-05 13:23:27 · 12 answers · asked by maddie ;; 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
The feathers... seahawksmd gets BEST ANSWER....
2006-09-05 13:26:02 · update #1
feathers
they weigh the same, but the feathers have a lower density, thus an equivalent mass will have a far greater volume
2006-09-05 13:24:46 · answer #1 · answered by But why is the rum always gone? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They take up about the same amount of space if you discount the interspacial volume and consider how much space the atoms are taking actually up relative to the space around them. Bigger atoms take up are fewer, but smaller atoms are more numerous. In the end, they both have the same mass. Mass is the true indicator of volume. For example if you were to turn all the atoms and electrons of each pile into cubes, stack them up, and measure, you would have the same volume. Therefore you are also discounting the interspacial volume between the electrons.
When normal people talk about volume, they are talking about how much space an object takes up in terms of capacity visually. I am talking about how much volume an object takes up if the spaces inside the pile did not count as part of the rock or feathers. In that case, 99 percent of the pile of the rock isn't even there because of the electrons repelling each atom from eachother. And possibly 199%(or more) of the pile of feathers is just an illusion due to the low density of the feathers. Catch my drift?
Since you failed to define the parameters of what this is relative to, this question is not answerable. You can have the rock pile in space vaporized into plasma and that will take up much more space than a pile of room temperature feathers in a room.
Dave
2006-09-05 20:51:16 · answer #2 · answered by Ilooklikemyavatar..exactly 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A 3 lb. pile of feathers.
2006-09-05 20:25:58 · answer #3 · answered by Bill M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I could have a 3 lbs pile of pebbles take up more space than 3 lbs of feathers.
Stick with definition of density or are we talking about surface area - I could take 3 lbs of feathers or rocks and spread them throughout the entire world.
2006-09-05 20:37:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
3 lbs of feathers
2006-09-05 20:25:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
3 lbs. of feathers
2006-09-05 20:30:14 · answer #6 · answered by lina28 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
feathers as u would need so many of them to weigh that much and u cant bind the feathers together or u have to consider the weight of the tape used too
2006-09-05 20:27:35 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi. Uh... the feathers? No, no, the rocks because they will not compress.
2006-09-05 20:24:56 · answer #8 · answered by Cirric 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
feathers
2006-09-06 07:50:05 · answer #9 · answered by superlaminal 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Physical space would be the feathers.... compacted space they would be equal.
2006-09-05 20:25:47 · answer #10 · answered by FullMast 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋