Step 1: Buoyancy
When immersed in water, objects experience an upward buoyant force equal to the weight of water displaced.
Step 2: Density Comparison
Steel is much denser than aluminium. For equal weights in water, the volumes and initial masses must differ.
Step 3: Atomic Weight
Atomic weight of Iron (Steel) is 56 and Aluminium is
27. Based on their relative densities and the given equilibrium in water, the aluminium piece weighs approximately half as much as the steel piece in air.
Final Answer: (a)