True or False: Chemicals with specific gravities greater than one tend to float on water.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only in certain conditions
• D. Not applicable

Answer: (B)

Chemicals with specific gravities greater than one actually tend to sink in water, not float. Specific gravity is a measure of the density of a substance compared to the density of water. If a chemical has a specific gravity greater than one, that means it is denser than water. Because of this higher density, such chemicals will sink when placed in water.

For instance, substances like certain metals or some common industrial chemicals exhibit this behavior, providing practical implications in hazardous material handling. Understanding specific gravity is crucial for emergency response situations, as it helps predict the behavior of hazardous materials when they come into contact with water, influencing decisions on how to effectively manage spills and mitigate risks.