If a solid is hollow, what effect does it have on density determination?

When determining the density of a solid, the density is calculated using the mass and the volume of the solid. For a hollow solid, the actual mass of the material is less than it would be if the solid were solid throughout, because part of the volume is taken up by empty space rather than by mass.

As a result, when calculating the density using the formula density equals mass divided by volume, the mass will be lower for a hollow solid compared to a solid with the same overall dimensions filled completely with material. Given that the volume does not change with a hollow structure (it remains the same as that of the solid shape), the overall result is a lower density. Therefore, the computed density of a hollow object will be lower than expected when taking into account only its external dimensions without considering the empty center.

This understanding highlights the importance of knowing whether a solid is hollow or not when determining its density, as it directly influences the mass used in the density calculation relative to the volume.