What does a specific gravity of less than 1 indicate?

• A. The substance will sink in water
• B. The substance will float on water
• C. The substance will dissolve in water
• D. The substance has no reaction with water

Answer: (B)

A specific gravity of less than 1 indicates that a substance is less dense than water, meaning it will float on the surface when placed in water. Specific gravity is a ratio that compares the density of a substance to the density of water. Since water has a specific gravity of 1, any substance with a specific gravity lower than this will exhibit buoyancy and therefore will float.

In the context of hazardous materials, understanding the behavior of substances in water is critical for emergency response scenarios and spill management. Knowing that a substance will float can influence the response strategies, such as containment methods and recovery operations, to ensure safety and effectiveness.