Question

2. In a well-known movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, there is a famous scene in which the hero tries to outwit the designers of a trap by replacing a gold statue with a bag of sand of about the same volume.

a) Knowing that the density of gold is 19.3 g/mL and sand is 3.1 g/mL, does this seem like a scientifically reasonable plan? Why or why not?

b) In the movie, the hero grabs the gold statue with one hand and appears to handle it quite easily. Given that the volume of the statue appears to be about 1 L, find the mass of the statue.

Answer 1

Answer:

I cant answer B, but I can answer A, and I don't think it is  a scientifically reasonable plan.  

Explanation:

The bag of sand weighs less than the gold statue, and yes the bag of sand seems like it would keep the trap from activating, but you would scientifically have to put something that was the same weight as the gold statue on the pedestal that the statue is on.