The 

specific weight (also known as the unit weight) is the weight per unit volume of a material. The symbol of

specific weight is γ (the Greek letter Gamma).

A commonly used value is the specific weight of water on Earth at 5°C which is 62.43 lbf/ft3 or 9807 N/m3. [1]

The terms specific gravity, and less often specific weight, are also used for relative density.

Mathematically: Density = Mass Divided By Volume

where:

ρ (rho) is the density,

m is the mass,
V is the volume.

Different materials usually have different densities, so density is an important concept

regarding buoyancy, metal purity and packaging.

In some cases density is expressed as the dimensionless quantities specific gravity (SG)

or relative density (RD), in which case it is expressed in multiples of the density of some

other standard material, usually water or air/gas.

Relative density, or specific gravity,[1][2] is the ratio of the density (mass of a unit volume) of a substance to the

density of a given reference material. Specific gravity usually means relative density with respect to water. The term

"relative density" is often preferred in modern scientific usage.

If a substance's relative density is less than one then it is less dense than the reference; if greater than 1 then it is

denser than the reference. If the relative density is exactly 1 then the densities are equal; that is, equal volumes of the

two substances have the same mass. If the reference material is water then a substance with a relative density (or

specific gravity) less than 1 will float in water. For example, an ice cube, with a relative density of about 0.91, will

float. A substance with a relative density greater than 1 will sink.

Temperature and pressure must be specified for both the sample and the reference. Pressure is nearly always

1 atm equal to 101.325 kPa. Where it is not, it is more usual to specify the density directly. Temperatures for both

sample and reference vary from industry to industry. In British brewing practice the specific gravity as specified above

is multiplied by 1000.[3]Specific gravity is commonly used in industry as a simple means of obtaining information about

the concentration of solutions of various materials such as brines, sugar solutions (syrups, juices, honeys,

brewers wort, must, etc.) and acids.

 DENSITY
Applications 
with Liquids and
Solids
 
DENSITY is a
physical property
of matter, as each
element and
compound has a
unique density
associated with it.
Density defined in
a qualitative
manner as the
measure of the
relative
"heaviness" of
objects with a
constant volume.
For liquids the
density may also
vary with the
temperature.

Density
Comparison to
Water: In
chemistry, the
density of many
substances is
compared to the
density of water.
Does an object
float on water or
sink in the water?
If an object such as
a piece of wood
floats on water it is
less dense than
water vs. if a rock
sinks, it is more
dense than water.
 Liquid Density
examples based
upon differences
in mass or weight
per unit volume.

Density of a liquid
with a constant
volume, varies
according to the
weight. The higher
the weight, the
higher the density.
Layers of Liquids
Demonstrations:
In this series of
demonstrations the
theme is that a
variety of liquids
have different
physical properties
as shown by their
densities. The most
dense liquids will
be found on the
bottom, the least
dense liquid is on
the top. See Table
below.
Layers of Liquids
- Demonstrations
with Density

Any objects placed

in the liquids will
seek their own
level depending
upon the density. If
an object has a
density that is
intermediate in
value, the object
will float between
two layers.
Floating objects in
 water

Floating Spheres:
In the case of the
floating spheres, the
water is the most dense
and hence on the
bottom. If the alcohol is
very carefully added to
the water with only a
minimal mixing, the
alcohol will layer on the
top of the water since it
is less dense. The oil
drops that are added are
more dense than the
alcohol so will fall
through the alcohol, but
will remain on top of
the water. The oil is less
dense than the
water.See Table below.
Floating Spheres
- Demonstrations with
Density
Lava Lamp: 
The lava lamp in this
demo does not actually
work on the principle of
original electric lava
lamp. In this case, a
cylinder is prepared
with water on the
bottom and oil floating
on the top. Small
amounts of salt are
added. Since salt has a
high density of 2.16
g/mL, it forms a coat
around some of the oil
and causes it to sink,
since it now has a
higher density than
water. As the salt
covered oil drop rests
on the bottom of the
water, the salt dissolves
into the water. When all
of the salt has dissolved,
the oil drop again rises
to the top since it is now
again less dense than
the water. See Table
below.
Lava Lamp
- Demonstrations with
Density
Other Demonstration
Examples:
Nylon Rope: The
adipylchloride or (acid)
solution is dissolved in
hexane. The hexane is
less dense than the the
lower water solution
and thus floats on top of
the water. The chemical
reaction occurs right
between the two
layers. See Table below.

Deep Purple Magic: In

this demo,
dichloromethane is
added to water that
contains iodine. The
density of the
dichloromethane is
greater than that of the
water, therefore it sinks
to the bottom. During
the demo, the iodine is
extracted from the water
into the
dichloromethane and
gives a very deep purple
color.
  

 Density examples based upon

differences in liquids and
solids. The solid has a constant
density, but the density of the
liquids varies to give various
effects.

Ice cubes in different liquids:

In this demo ice cubes are placed
into two clear liquids which appear
to be identical. One liquid is water
and the ice cube floats. The other
liquid is ethyl alcohol and the ice
cube sinks. The ice cube has a
constant density, but its behavior
changes because of the different
densities of the liquids. See Table
  below.

Mysterious Ice - Demonstrations

with Density

Eggs in different liquids:

Again in this demo, the egg has a

constant density, but the liquids
have different densities. If the egg
is more dense than the liquid it will
sink as in plain water. If the liquids
is more dense than the egg, it will
float as in the case of the salt
water. See Table below.
Egg Densities - sugar water/oil
Floating Eggs - sugar and water
- Demonstrations with Density

In one case, the egg floats in

hydrochloric acid because the
bubbles of carbon dioxide attach to
the side of the egg and make it less
dense than the water so that it
floats.
Smart Eggs - salt water and acid
- Demonstrations with Density

Liquid Density examples based

upon differences in temperature.

There are a number of changes to

the structure of water or any other
liquid that occurs with increasing
temperature. The water molecules
gain energy which is used to bend
and break the hydrogen bonds. On
raising the temperature, the size of
ordered clusters of water
molecules decreases, the number
of smaller clusters increases, the
number of hydrogen bonds
decreases and the average distance
between the water molecules
increases.

Underwater Volcano
Demonstration: What makes hot
water rise? As stated above, the hot
water has less hydrogen bonds and
the spaces between water
molecules increases. The net effect
is to have less mass per unit
volume. This translates into a
lower density. The lower density
water floats on top of the denser
cold water. In the photo, the hot
water is colored with red dye to
make it more visible.
 Demonstration
s with Density
Mysterious Ice
Layers of
Liquids
Egg Densities -
sugar water/oil
Smart Eggs - salt
water and acid
 Floating Eggs -
sugar and water
Floating Spheres
Lava Lamp
Underwater
Smoke Stack
Floating objects
in water
 
 Densities of
Common
Compounds
 Den
sity
 Substance gram
s per
mL
0.66
Hexane 
0
Ethyl 0.78
Alcohol  9
 Rubbing
   0.79
Alcohol
 Ice  0.92 
Corn oil  0.93
 Water  1.00
 Sea Water
 1.03
(3%)
25% Salt
1.25
water
Dichlorom
1.3 
ethane
 Corn
 1.38
Syrup
 Salt  2.16

 Density of water and ice

For most substances, the solid form of the substance is more dense than the liquid phase; thus, a block of pure solid
substance will sink in a tub of pure liquid substance. But, by contrast, a block of common ice will float in a tub of water
because solid water is less dense than liquid water. This is an extremely important characteristic property of water. At
room temperature, liquid water becomes denser with lowering temperature, just like other substances. But at 4 °C,
just above freezing, water reaches its maximum density, and as water cools further toward its freezing point, the
liquid water, under standard conditions, expands to become less dense. The physical reason for this is related to the
crystal structure of ordinary ice, known as hexagonal ice Ih. Water, gallium, bismuth, acetic acid, antimony and silicon
are some of the few materials which expand when they freeze; most other materials contract. It should be noted
however, that not all forms of ice are less dense than liquid water. For example HDA and VHDA are both more dense
than liquid phase pure water. Thus, the reason that the common form of ice is less dense than water is a bit non-
intuitive, and relies heavily on the unusual properties inherent to the hydrogen bond.

Generally, water expands when it freezes because of its molecular structure, in tandem with the unusual elasticity of
the hydrogen bond and the particular lowest energy hexagonal crystal conformation that it adopts under standard
conditions. That is, when water cools, it tries to stack in a crystalline lattice configuration that stretches the rotational
and vibrational components of the bond, so that the effect is that each molecule of water is pushed further from each
of its neighboring molecules. This effectively reduces the density ρ of water when ice is formed under standard
conditions.

The importance of this property cannot be overemphasized for its role on the ecosystem of Earth. For example, if
water were more dense when frozen, lakes and oceans in a polar environment would eventually freeze solid (from
top to bottom). This would happen because frozen ice would settle on the lake and riverbeds, and the necessary
warming phenomenon (see below) could not occur in summer, as the warm surface layer would be less dense than
the solid frozen layer below. It is a significant feature of nature that this does not occur naturally in the environment.

Nevertheless, the unusual expansion of freezing water (in ordinary natural settings in relevant biological systems),
due to the hydrogen bond, from 4 °C above freezing to the freezing point offers an important advantage for
freshwater life in winter. Water chilled at the surface increases in density and sinks, forming convection currents that
cool the whole water body, but when the temperature of the lake water reaches 4 °C, water on the surface decreases
in density as it chills further and remains as a surface layer which eventually freezes and forms ice. Since downward
convection of colder water is blocked by the density change, any large body of fresh water frozen in winter will have
the coldest water near the surface, away from the riverbed or lakebed. This accounts for various little known
phenomena of ice characteristics as they relate to ice in lakes and "ice falling out of lakes" as described by early 20th
century scientist Horatio D. Craft.

The following table gives the density of water in grams per cubic centimeter at various temperatures in degrees
Celsius:

Temp (°C) Density (g/cm3) 

30 0.9957 
20 0.9982 
10 0.9997 
0 0.9998 
−10 0.9982 
−20 0.9935 
−30 0.9839 

The values below 0 °C refer to supercooled water.

 Which is more dense - Ice or
Liquid Water?
DENSITY is defined in a qualitative manner as
the measure of the relative "heaviness" of objects
with a constant volume. To understand the
properties of ice, we need to think in terms of a
change in volume with a constant weight or mass.
Density Comparison to Water: In chemistry, the
density of many substances is compared to the
density of water. Does ice float on water or sink
in the water?

Everyone knows what happens in the case of ice

cubes in a glass of water.

Look at the graphic on the left.

Why does ice float?

What other observations or facts are known?

 Because ice floats, we can infer that ice

must be less dense than water.
 If water is frozen in a glass jar, the glass
jar breaks.
 If a pop can freezes, it will also burst.
 From both of the above we infer that the
volume of the ice has increased.

Conclusion: The volume of ice must be greater

than the same mass of liquid water. Why does
the volume increase?
 Molecular basis for the Volume Increase of
Ice:

The normal pattern for most compounds is that as

the temperature of the liquid increases, the
density decreases as the molecules spread out
from each other. As the temperature decreases,
the density increases as the molecules become
more closely packed. This pattern does not hold
true for ice as the exact opposite occurs.
 In liquid water each molecule is hydrogen bonded
to approximately 3.4 other water molecules. In ice
each each molecule is hydrogen bonded to 4 other
molecules.

Compare the structures of Liquid Water and Solid

Ice - Graphic Notice the empty spaces within the
ice structure, as this translates to a more open or
expanded structure. The ice structure takes up
more volume than the liquid water molecules,
hence ice is less dense than liquid water.

Chime: Ice/Water - structures from Martin

Chaplin

 Mathematical Definition of Density  What is the exact change in volume of the water
The formal definition of density is mass per unit volume. when it freezes as ice?
Usually the density is expressed in grams per mL or cc. Comparison of:
Mathematically a "per" statement is translated as a division. cc is
 Liquid
a cubic centimeter and is equal to a mL Therefore,  Ice
water
 Density  Mass =  Mass =
 mass =   g/mL 100 g 100 g
=
    volume    Volume =  Volume
100 mL = ? mL
 Density = Density =
1.0 g/mL 0.92 g/mL
Example: Cal Solution: T
culate the he density
volume in a translated as
100 g ice cube a
with a density conversion
of 0.92 g per factor is: 
mL.
0.92 g = 1
mL - "per"
is
equivalent
to an equal
sign.

 100  1.0  108.7

g x mL = mL
 0.92
   
g
The increase in volume of
ice is about 9%. This
increase causes enough
force to break most rigid
containers. This is the same
force, repeated on a daily
basis, that creates "pot
holes" in the roads in the
winter time.
An important property of any gas is its density. Density is defined as the mass of an object divided by its
volume, and most of our experiences with density involve solids. We know that some objects are heavier
than other objects, even though they are the same size. A brick and a loaf of bread are about the same
size, but a brick is heavier--it is more dense. Among metals, aluminum is less dense than iron. That's why
airplanes and rockets and some automobile parts are made from aluminum. For the same volume of
material, one metal weighs less than another if it has a lower density.

For solids, the density of a single element or compound remains fairly constant because the molecules
are bound to one another. For example, if you found a pure gold nugget on the earth or you found a pure
gold nugget on the moon, the measured density would be nearly the same. But for gases, the density can
vary over a wide range because the molecules are free to move. Air at the surface of the earth has a very
different density than air 50 kilometers above the earth. An interactive simulator allows you to study how
air density varies with altitude. Understanding density and how it works is fundamental to the
understanding of rocket aerodynamics.

There are two ways to look at density: (1) the small scale action of individual air molecules or (2) the large
scale action of a large number of molecules. Starting with the small scale action, from the kinetic theory of
gases, a gas is composed of a large number of molecules that are very small relative to the distance
between molecules. The molecules are in constant, random motion and frequently collide with each other
and with the walls of a container. Because the molecules are in motion, a gas will expand to fill the
container. Since density is defined to be the mass divided by the volume, density depends directly on the
size of the container in which a fixed mass of gas is confined. As a simple example, consider Case #1 on
our figure. We have 26 molecules of a mythical gas. Each molecule has a mass of 20 grams (.02
kilograms), so the mass of this gas is .52 kg. We have confined this gas in a rectangular tube that is 1
meter on each side and 2 meters high. We are viewing the tube from the front, so the dimension into the
slide is 1 meter for all the cases considered. The volume of the tube is 2 cubic meters, so the density is .
26 kg/cubic meter. This corresponds to air density at about 13 kilometers altitude. If the size of our
container were decreased to 1 meter on all sides, as in Case #3, and we kept the same number of
molecules, that density would increase to .52 kg/cubic meter. Notice that we have the same amount of
material; it is just contained in a smaller volume. How we decrease the volume is very important for the
final value of pressure andtemperature. You can explore the variations in pressure and temperature at the
animated gas lab.

Turning to the larger scale, the density is a state variable of a gas and the change in density during a
process is governed by the laws of thermodynamics. Actual molecules of a gas are incredibly small. In
one cubic meter the number of molecules is about ten to the 23rd power. (That's 1 followed by 23
zero's !!!) For a static gas, the molecules are in a completely random motion. Because there are so many
molecules, and the motion of each molecule is random, the value of the density is the same throughout
the container. Density is a scalar quantity; it has a magnitude but no direction associated with it. As an
example, consider Case #1, in which the mass is .52 kg, the volume is 2 cu m, and the density is .26
kg/cu m. If we sample a smaller volume of 1 meter on a side as in Case #2, we will obtain the same
density. The volume of the blue box in Case #2 is only 1 cu m, but the number of molecules in the box is
13 at .2 kg per molecule; and the density is .26 kg/cu m. (This example REALLY works only for a very
large number of molecules moving at random. Case #2 is just an illustration.) Another way to obtain the
same density for a smaller volume is to remove molecules from the container. In Case #4, the container is
the same size as in Case #3, but the number of molecules (the mass) has been decreased to only 13
molecules. The density is .26 kg/cubic meter, which is the same density seen in the blue box of Case #2
and throughout Case #1. A careful study of these four cases will help you understand the meaning of gas
density.

These rather simple examples help explain a fundamental effect that we see in nature. Between Cases
#3 and #4, the number of molecules in a given volume decreased, and the corresponding density
decreased. In the atmosphere, air molecules near the surface of the earth are held together more tightly
than the molecules in the higher atmosphere because of the gravitational pull of the earth on all the
molecules above the surface molecules. The higher up you go in the atmosphere, the fewer the
molecules there are above you, and the lower the confining force. So in the atmosphere, density
decreases as you increase altitude; there are fewer molecules.

Gas density is defined to be the mass of gas divided by the volume confining the gas. There is a related
state variable called the specific volume which is the reciprocal of the density r. The specific volume v is
given by:

v = 1 /r

Specific volume is often used when solving static gas problems for which the volume is known, while
density is used for moving gas problems. They are equivalent state variables.
 DENSITY Applications with Gases
 DENSITY is a physical property of matter, as each element and compound has a unique
density associated with it. Density defined in a qualitative manner as the measure of the
relative "heaviness" of objects with a constant volume. For gases the density may vary with
the number of gas molecules in a constant volume.
Density Comparison to Air: The density of several gases is compared to the density of air.
Does an object float in air or sink in the air? If an object containing a gas floats on air, it is
less dense than air vs. if it sinks, it is more dense than air.

Gas Density examples based upon differences in molecular weight.

Density of a gas with a constant number of molecules in a constant volume, varies according
to the molecular weight. The higher the molecular weight the higher the density.
Helium balloon: Compare the behavior of a helium filled balloon with that of an air filled
balloon. Even taking into account the weight of the rubber balloon, the helium balloon floats
on the air and is less dense than the air. The air filled balloon sinks because the weight of the
rubber balloon makes is slightly heavier and thus more dense. Table of Densities

Applications: Mylar balloons, Goodyear blimp. Exit Vchembook site

Hydrogen balloon: Compare the densities of hydrogen, helium, and air to predict what will
happen to a hydrogen balloon. In the hydrogen balloon demonstration -  Demonstrations
with Density usually not enough hydrogen fills the balloon to overcome the weight of the
balloon. Sometimes you can almost see the effect of the hydrogen filled balloon attempting to
float. Table of Densities

Application: Hindenburg Exit Vchembook site

Carbon Dioxide: Did you ever see the effect of having dry ice (which is solid carbon
dioxide) in a punch bowl at a party? The dry ice is vaporizing to the gaseous state, as well as
condensing some water vapor in the air to produce a white fog that sinks in the air. This
shows that the carbon dioxide and cold water vapor are more dense than air. Table of
Densities

Application: Fire extinguisher demonstration -  Demonstrations with Density

In this case, the carbon dioxide produced by the vinegar and baking soda reaction sinks to the
bottom of the beaker. In the process, the air which is less dense is pushed up and out of the
beaker. As the oxygen in the air is pushed out of the beaker by the denser carbon dioxide, the
candles go out one by one.

Application: Floating Flame

In this demonstration graphic ( graphic in new window ) the first picture shows that the
container is filled with carbon dioxide gas. The white cloud that you see is condensed water
vapor, but carbon dioxide gas is mixed in as well. In the second picture, the red glow on the
bottom is caused by by red light sticks placed at the level of the gas delivery jet. The more
dense carbon dioxide gas has filled the container. Natural gas, methane, is less dense than the
carbon dioxide, so it floats to the top of the more dense carbon dioxide. At the level just
above the layer of carbon dioxide, there is sufficient air and methane to support combustion -
so the flame appears to float on top of the white cloud.

Gas Density examples based upon differences in temperature.

The density of gases depends upon the temperature. The higher the temperature, the more the
molecules are spread out and the lower the density as shown in the graphic on the left. The
result is that warm gases rise and cool gases sink. The same concept helps to explain the
weather resulting in high and low pressures. High pressure means high density, cooler, sinking
air. Low pressure means low density, warmer, rising air.
Hot Air Balloon: What makes a hot air balloon rise? As air is heated, it becomes less dense
than the surrounding cooler air. The less dense hot air has enough lifting power to cause the
balloon to float and rise into the air.

Hot Air Balloon Demonstration Exit Vchembook site

 Cold Water Vapor: What causes a cloud to sink to the earth surface and we call it fog. Tiny
droplets of water are present in clouds and fog. If the surrounding warm air is cooled it sinks
since it is more dense, and at the same time the water as a gas is condensed into tiny droplets
of water.

Application: Liquid Nitrogen Demonstration

The white fog coming from the liquid nitrogen container (graphic in new window ) is having
the same effect as described above.
   Demonstrations
 Mathematical Definition of Density with Density
The formal definition of density is mass per unit volume. Usually the density is expressed Mysterious Ice
in grams per mL or cc. Mathematically a "per" statement is translated as a division. cc is a Layers of Liquids
cubic centimeter and is equal to a mL Therefore, Egg Densities -
sugar water/oil
 Density Smart Eggs - salt
 mass =   g/mL
= water and acid
    volume   Floating Eggs -
sugar and water
Floating Spheres
Lava Lamp
Underwater
Smoke Stack
Floating objects in
water
 
 Densities of
Common Elements
and Compounds
 Density
 Substanc
grams
e
per mL
 Hydroge 0.000089
 n gas
 Helium
0.00018
gas
 Air  0.00128
 Carbon  0.00197
Dioxide 7
Water  1.00
:>>>The specific gravity of a material is defined as the ratio of its density to the density of some standard
material, such as water at a specified temperature, for example, 60°F (15°C), or (for gases) air at standard
conditions of temperature and pressure. Specific gravity is a convenient concept because it is usually easier
to measure than density, and its value is the same in all systems of units.