If specific gravities were defined by reference to oil (density = 0.89 g/mL) rather than water (density = 1.0 g/mL) which of the following would be true?
A) The specific densities of all the materials and substances would be larger than those listed in handbooks.
B) The specific densities of all the materials and substances would be smaller than those listed in handbooks.
C) The specific densities of some objects would be larger and of other objects would be smaller than those listed in handbooks.
D) The specific densities of all the materials and substances listed in handbooks would not change.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance. If the reference substance is changed from water (1.0 g/mL) to oil (0.89 g/mL), the specific gravity values would increase because the denominator in the ratio becomes smaller.

If Specific Gravities Were Defined by Reference to Oil (Density