What is likely to happen to the density reading if you fail to account for the air bubbles in your measurement?

When measuring the density of a liquid, the presence of air bubbles can significantly influence your results. If air bubbles are trapped in the liquid, they displace the volume of the liquid without contributing to its mass. Consequently, the mass measured remains the same, but the volume appears larger than it truly is due to the air bubbles' presence.

Density is calculated as mass divided by volume. If the volume is erroneously increased because of air bubbles, while the mass stays constant, the calculated density will yield a lower value. Thus, failing to account for air bubbles would result in an underestimation of the density, leading to the conclusion that the density reading will be too low.

Understanding this concept highlights the importance of accurate measurements in experiments and how physical elements like air bubbles can affect quantitative analysis in chemistry.