Ace transport company in Prince George receives a container of expensive wool from New Zealand. The container, still in perfect condition, with its seal unbroken, is labelled :105 kg" and "Contains mothballs to prevent insect damage." The Ace Transport agent finds the package has a mass of only 102 kg. How could you explain the "missing" mass? Plz suggest two or three reasons.
2006-09-16 10:43:00 · 5 answers · asked by Dustin K 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
All scales (or balances) have a degree of error. If both scales had a possible + or - 2 kg error range then it is very possible for the mass to have not changed at all and simply be expereincing the error range of the two scales. 3 kg is a very reasonable difference between two measurements, both of which would be considered 'correct'.
2006-09-16 10:54:27 · answer #1 · answered by MB_Bailey 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mothballs turn directly from solid to vapour. The container is not going to be gastight, even though it is well sealed. Mind you, 3 kg seems to be an awful lot of mothballs, and they would take months and months to turn completely into vapour unless they were warmed up quite a lot. Not a complete answer for you, sorry.
2006-09-16 17:59:31 · answer #2 · answered by bh8153 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most people have some misconceptions concerning moths 'eating wool'. These are myths. Moths do not 'eat' wool. The damage is caused by the liquid excreted by the larvae which breaks down the wool thus creating a 'perk' hole. So that explain how the 2kg loss.
2006-09-16 17:50:43 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
scales are not reading correctly, wool rotted in shipping, 3 kg of standing water in the container dribbled out in transit. Tare weight of the container so massive that the last digit of the loaded weight are not significant digits.
2006-09-16 17:52:53 · answer #4 · answered by waplambadoobatawhopbamboo 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
erm... they weighed it wrong
2006-09-16 17:48:18 · answer #5 · answered by chilipeppersfan92 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋