[Baloo]

Hi everyone. I am doing a chemistry worksheet and I am in need of some help. It is for a lab class and this doesn't follow the order of the textbook that we use for the regular class. I already did most of the worksheet, but I am stuck.  I'm feeling kind of dumb because this is very elementary material--it's our first homework assignment and I haven't had chemistry in a while.

There is a chart on the paper with the volume of a liquid in a graduated cylinder. This is the independent variable x. The dependent y variable is the mass of the liquid plus the graduated cylinder. Additionally, I have created a chart along with an equation for the line of best fit.

1. How do I find the density of the liquid only? Density=mass/volume, or in this case it is density=y/x. I wrote down the slope of the line of best fit because slope=y/x. HOWEVER, the masses include the cylinder. How do I isolate the liquid only?  Do I even need to

2. How do I find the mass of the graduated cylinder only? I'm completely lost on this one.  When I had high school chemistry we would always weigh the cylinder beforehand and subtract its weight from the total amount.  I don't remember ever being taught how to find its weight after doing the experiment.  This seems very counter-intuitive.

If you guys need actual numbers to help me, I'll give some, but I was hoping that someone could just explain the concept to me so I can do the calculations myself.  Thanks guys.  I appreciate it.

[Borek]

You say you have the line of the best fit. What does it tell you about the mass when the liquid volume is zero?

[fledarmus]

You say you have the line of the best fit. What does it tell you about the mass when the liquid volume is zero?

One of the most succinct hints I've read Borek!