7009276 0023027 888

4CTb Designation: D 1429 - 76 (Reapproved 1981)

Standard Test Methods for

SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF WATER AND BRINE'
This Standard is issued under the fixed designation D 1429; the number immediately following the designation indicates
the year of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year
of last reapproval

1. Scope and Application explanation of SI units and symbols refer to

1.1 These methods cover the determina- E 380.
tion of the specific gravity of water and brine 4. Reagents
free of separable oil, as follows:
4.1 Purity of Wuter-Unless otherwise in-
Sections
dicated, references to water shall be under-
Method A-Pycnometer Method 6 to 10
Method B -Balance Method to 15 stood to mean reagent water conforming to
Method C-Erlenmeyer Flask Method 16 to 19 Specification D 1193, Type II.
Method D -Hydrometer Method 20 to 24
5. Sampling
1.2 Methods A and B are applicable to
clear waters or those containing only a moder- 5.1 Collect the samples in accordance with
ate amount of particulate matter. Method B is Practices D 3370 and D Method 1066.
preferred for samples of sea water or brines 5.2 In view of the lack of a standard
and is more sensitive than Method D which method for sampling mud Or sludge, no in-
has the same general application. Method c is structions are given for sampling this type of
intended for samples of water containing mud
or sludge. METHOD A -PYCNOMETER METHOD
2. Applicable Documents 6. Summary of Method
2.1 ASTM Standards: 6.1 The sample is introduced into a pyc-
D 1066 Sampling Stream' nometer, stabilized at the desired tempera-
D 1129 Definitions of Terms Relating to ture, and weighed. The specific gravity is cai-
Water2 culated from this weight and the previously
D 1192 Specification for Equipment for determined weight of reagent water that is
Sampling Water and Stream2 required to fill the pycnometer at the same
D 1193 Specification for Reagent Water2 temperature.
D 2777 Practice for Determination of Pre-
cision and Bias of Methods of Committee
,. Apparatus
D-19 on Water2 7.1 Bath - Constant-temperature bath de-
D 3370 Practices for Sampling Water2 signed to maintain a temperature of 15.6 11
E 1 Specification for ASTM Thermome-
ters3
E 380 Standard for Metric Practice4 'These methods are under the jurisdiction of ASTM
Committee D-19 on Water, and are the direct responsibility
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of Subcommittee D 19.09 on Saline and Brackish Water

3. Definitions Current edition approved May 28,1976. Published July
3.1 brine -water having more than 30 O00 ~ ~ ~ ~ ; n ~ $ ? $ ~as & 1429-56.
' $ ~ ~ previous
mg/litre of dissolved matter. Annual Book ofASTM Standards, Part 31
a Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Parts 25 and 44.
3.2 F~~ definitions of terms used in this Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Part 41 (Excerpts
method refer to Definitions D 1129. For an --`,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---
in Part 31).

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D 1429

1°C (60 13°F). If any other temperature 8.5 Using the sample to be tested, repeat
must be used due to local conditions, appro- the procedure in accordance with 8.2 and 8.3,
priate corrections shall be made. recording the weight of the pycnometer con-
7.2 Pycnometer -Cylindrical or conical taining the sample under test as S.
glass vessel carefully ground to receive an
accurately fitting 24/12 standard taper glass 9. Calculations
stopper provided with a hole approximately 9.1 Calculate the specific gravity of the
1.0 to 2.0 mm in diameter, centrally located sample as follows:
in reference to the vertical axis. The top sur- Specific gravity = (S-P)/(W - P )
face of the stopper shall be smooth and sub-
where:
stantially plane, and the lower surface shall be
P = weight of the empty pycnvmeter,
concave in order to allow all air to escape
S = weight of the pycnometer and contained
through the bore. The height of the concave
sample, and
section shall be approximately 5 mm at the
W = weight of the pycnometer and contained
center. The stoppered pycnometer shall have
reagent water.
a capacity of about 24 to 30 mi, and shall
weigh not more than 40 g. Suitable pycnome- 10. Precision
ters are shown in Fig. 1.
10.1 Preczkwn -Results should not differ
7.3 Thermometer -An ASTM Gravity from the arithmetical mean by more than the
Thermometer having a range from -20 to + following amounts:
102°C or -5 to + 215"F, as specified, and
Different operators and apparatus 0.002
conforming to the requirements for Ther-
mometer 12C or 12F, respectively, as pre- METHOD B -BALANCE METHOD
scribed in Specification E 1.
11. Summary of Method
8. Procedure 11.1 The specific gravity balance is essen-
8.1 Weigh a clean, dry, calibrated pycnom- tially an analytical balance which uses a plum-
eter, complete with stopper, on an analytical met to determine the weight of a liquid by
balance, and record this weight to the nearest displacement. The plummet is calibrated in a
0.1 mg, as P . standard liquid, usually reagent water, before
8.2 Remove the stopper and fill the pyc- the determination is made. Any oil present in
nometer with recently boiled reagent water the sample will interfer with this determina-

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that has been cooled to room temperature, to tion; therefore, only freshly filtered samples
within several millimetres of the top. Remove should be used.
the air bubbles. Immerse the unstoppered
pycnometer up to the neck in a constant-tem- 12. Apparatus
perature bath maintained at 15.6 ? 1°C (60 I
12.1 Specific Gravity Balance - A West-
1.8"F). Allow the pycnometer to remain in phal-type balance or any of several accurate
the bath for a period of time sufficient to
specific gravity balances may be used.
establish temperature equilibrium. Twenty
minutes is usually sufficient.
8.3 After temperature equilibrium has 13. Procedure
been established, and before removing from 13.1 Locate the specific gravity balance in
the bath, firmly insert the stopper and remove a draft-free enclosure. Clean the plummet by
the excess water from the top of the stopper, immersion in distilled water followed by ace-
taking care to leave the capillary filled. Re- tone. Dry with air or a lint-free tissue. Cali-
move the stoppered pycnometer from the brate the plummet by determining its differ-
bath and wipe it dry. Immediately weigh the ence in weight in air and in reagent water at
pycnometer, and record this weight to the 15.6 +- 1°C (60 1.8"F); record this displace-
nearest 0.1 mg, as W . ment as d , .
8.4 Empty the reagent water from the pyc- 13.2 Immerse the plummet in the sample,
nometer and dry, or rinse with the sample to which has a stabilized temperature of 15.6 +-
be tested. 1°C (60 +- 13°F). Make certain that the
--`,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---

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D 1429

plummet does not touch the bottom or the 17.3 If the sample flows readily, fill the
sides of the container. The liquid displace- flask completely with the sample, leveling the
ment, d e , is the difference between the weight upper surface with a flat-bladed spatula held
necessary to counterpoise the dry plummet in at an angle of 45 deg with the rim of the flask.
air and that necessary when the plummet is Weigh, and record this weight as S .
immersed in the liquid samples. 17.4 Mix the sample thoroughly by stir-
ring, but do not shake. If the sample does not
14. Calculations flow readily, add sufficient sample to approxi-
14.1 Calculate the specific gravity of the mately half fill the flask, without exerting
sample as follows: pressure, and weigh. Record the weight of the
flask and sample as R. Fill the flask containing
Specific gravity = - the sample completely with reagent water or
di
tap water, whichever was used in accordance
where: with 17.2, taking care to remove ail entrained
d , = difference in weight in air and in re- air bubbles, and weigh again. Record this
agent water, and weight at T .
d, = difference in weight in air and in the
sample. 18. Calculations
15. Precision 18.1 In the case of free-flowing samples,
calculate the specific gravity of the sample as
15.1 Precision - Results should not differ follows:
from the arithmetical mean by more than the
Specific gravity = (S - F)/(W - F )
following amounts:
Different operators and apparatus 0.003 where:
F = weight of the empty flask,
METHOD C -ERLENMEYER FLASK
--`,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---

S = weight of the flask completely filled

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METHOD
with sample, and
16. Summary of Method W = weight of the flask and contained wa-
ter.
16.1 The sample of mud or sludge is thor-
18.2 In the case of samples that do not flow
oughly stirred and poured into a wide-mouth
readily, calculate the specific gravity of the
Erlenmeyer flask until it is somewhat more
sample as follows:
than level full, the excess being struck off with
a spatula blade. The specific gravity is calcu- Specific gravity = (R- F)/[(W - F) - (T - R)]
lated from this weight and the previously de- where:
termined weight of water required to fill the F = weight of the empty flask,
flask completely. R = weight of the flask partly filled with
16.2 If the sample is of a plastic solid con- sample,
sistency, the flask is partly filled with the sam- T = weight of the flask partly filled with
ple and weighed. Water is then added to fill sample, plus water added to fill remain-
the flask completely, and the total weight is ing volume, and
taken. The specific gravity is calculated from W = weight of the flask and contained wa-
the weight of the volume of water displaced by ter.
the sample.
19. Precision
17. Procedure 19.1 Results with a precision of 0.005 can
17.1 Clean, dry, and weigh the Erlen- be obtained.
meyer flask to the nearest 0.1 g, and record
this weight as F . METHOD D -HYDROMETER METHOD
17.2 Fill the flask with reagent water or tap
water. Both flask and water shall be at tem- 20. Summary of Method
perature equilibrium, Weigh the filled flask 20.1 The hydrometer is a weighted bulb
and record this weight as W . Empty and dry with a graduated stern. The depth to which the
the flask. hydrometer sinks in a fluid is determined by

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D 1429

the density of the fluid. The specific gravity is 22. Procedure

read directly from the graduated stem. Any 22.1 Fill the cylinder with the sample and
oil present in the sample will interfere with the carefully immerse the hydrometer. The hy-
determination; therefore, only freshly filtered drometer must float freely and not touch the
samples should be used. sides of the cylinder. Allow the hydrometer to
21. Apparatus remain in the sample 5 min or until the ther-
mometer establishes equilibrium. Read and
21.1 Hydrometer - A set of glass hydrome- record the specific gravity and temperature
ters (equipped with built-in thermometers) directly from the hydrometer.
covering the range of specific gravities en-
countered in water and brine analyses. Grad- 23. Calculation for Correction to 60°F
uations should not be greater than 0.002.
21.2 Hydrometer Cylinder of clear glass, or 23.1 The specific gravity may be corrected
plastic. For convenience in pouring, the cylin- to 60/60"F by adding 0.0002 for each degree
der may have a lip on the rim. The inside above 60°F. An example is as follows:
diameter of the cylinder shall be at least 25 Specific gravity at 79°F 1.1225
mm greater than the outside diameter of the Correction = (79 - 60) 0.0002 = + 0.0038
--`,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---

Specific gravity at 60°F 1.1263

hydrometer used. The height of the cylinder
shall be such that the hydrometer floats in the
sample with at least 25-mm clearance between 24. Precision
the bottom of the hydrometer and the bottom 24.1 Results with a precision of -+ 0.004
of the cylinder. can be obtained.

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FIG. 1 Suitable Pycnometers

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