2006-12-19 00:45:28 · 11 answers · asked by dck_horse 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
Density is not to do with weight, density concerns how many molecules can fit in a given space (how well substances can compact together). The reason oil floats on water is that it is hydrophobic (hydro being water and phobic being not liking, therefore doesn't 'like' water). Therefore it is not miscible (scientific term meaning will not mix together and dissolve or stay permanently spread throughout the mixture, because as you will notice if you shake a bottle with oil and water in, it looks like it has mixed together, but in reality if you leave it a couple minutes it has separated once more). The reason oil floats is that it is less dense (compacts together less well than water) as if it were down to weight alone, water would float above oil (water is 3 atoms - 2 Hydrogen atoms and 1 Oxygen atom, whereas oil can be several molecules long). Again the reason oil doesn't just float above the water when you put for example an oily frying pan in water is because the oil is hydrophobic. Therefore clings to the frying pan to 'protect' itself from the water, and so you need to agitate it to remove it from the frying pan. A way however to get oil to be miscible (mix consistently) with water is to add alcohol. This is because alcohol mixes with both oil and water and acts as a referee (it actually attaches to the oil to 'protect' it from the water, and mixes in the water too).
Hope this helps :D
2006-12-19 01:01:45 · answer #1 · answered by Chris K 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
via fact it has a decrease density, it is going to upward thrust above the water. each thing floats for the comparable reason. once you're taking weight of an merchandise (or mass) and divide it by using the quantity of the article, in case you get a style smaller than a million kilogram per liter, it is going to glide in organic water. you are able to play the comparable interest with balloons related to weights. If the gadget taken as an entire (the balloon and the weights) has a decrease density than air, it is going to glide.
2016-12-15 04:09:48 · answer #2 · answered by kull 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The density of oil is much lesser than water.
2006-12-19 01:34:03 · answer #3 · answered by Red 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Answer 2 is correct as far as it goes. Less dense materials float on liquids of higher densities because of Achimedes principle.
2006-12-19 08:59:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oil and water are not miscible (they don't mix) and the oil is less dense than water (less mass per given volume).
2006-12-19 00:48:07 · answer #5 · answered by Johnny A 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
because water has more density than oil
2006-12-19 12:05:34 · answer #6 · answered by deadman 4 life 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because the density of water is heavier than that of oil...basic earth science
2006-12-19 00:53:33 · answer #7 · answered by Sn0w 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oil ways less than watter.
2006-12-19 08:19:26 · answer #8 · answered by JOHNNIE B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its density is less than that for water ..
2006-12-19 04:15:09 · answer #9 · answered by Geo06 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lighter than water?
2006-12-19 00:47:53 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋