Density (How does a connon ball float in mercury)

                                               Density

How does a cannon ball float in mercury?

Mercury is an interesting substance that  has some unusual properties. Now, in terms of its density, this is where mercury becomes interesting.

To start-of,  density is the mass per unit of volume. This is the mass of the substance compared to its volume.
This can be shown as

                                                         Density =  Mass/Volume

Now, looking at Mercury it is a substance with a high density. If we place a cannon ball into mercury, it will float. This is because the cannon ball has a lower density than mercury. But what do we mean by the density. If you look at mercury, it is made up of substances that occupies a huge volume. Whereas the cannon ball may have a huge mass and its volume is compact within that mass. Therefore, as the cannon ball lands unto the mercury, the mass and the volume of the ball is shared amongst the huge volume of the mercury.  This is why the cannon ball floats on the mercury, as well as why the mercury is more denser than the cannon ball.