A solid iron ball of mass 500 g is dropped in mercury contained in a beaker.
Will the ball float or sink? Give reasons.

Explanation

To determine whether the solid iron ball will float or sink in mercury, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the concept of density
Density is defined as mass per unit volume. It is a crucial factor in determining whether an object will float or sink in a fluid. An object will float if its density is less than the density of the fluid it is placed in.

### Step 2: Find the density of the iron ball
The mass of the iron ball is given as 500 g. The density of iron is approximately 7.87 g/cm³.

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