Mass, Volume, and Density | Semester 1, Unit 2

LAB 2:
MASS, VOLUME, AND DENSITY
NOTE TO STUDENTS: This is a dry lab. You are only expected to perform the portions of this lab that do not require you
WITH EXTENSION
to use laboratory equipment or supplies. When appropriate, sample data may be supplied in the lab’s data tables to help
you answer the questions.

Goals Table 2.1

1. Determine volumes of several objects
Shape Formula Symbols
from their linear dimensions and by
displacement
V = volume
2. Determine the density of several Rectangular l = length
materials V = lwh
Solid w = width
h = height
Materials and Equipment

50 mL graduated cylinder V = volume

150 mL beaker π = 3.14…
V = πr2l
Aluminum bar, rectangular
Digital scale
Cylinder or r = radius
¼πd2l d = diameter
Goggles
Polyethylene (PE) rod l = length
Ruler
Steel (iron) bolt water does not tend to cling to plastic
Tape measure surfaces, there is little meniscus, and
therefore no need to adjust for it.
Materials Not Included In this experiment, we will put water
in a graduated cylinder and then place
Sodium chloride (table salt) an object in the cylinder. There must be
Stirring utensil enough water to cover the object. The
Water object will push aside, or displace, the water.
If the object is submerged, the volume of
Introduction the water displaced (pushed aside) is equal
to the volume of the object and the rise in
The volume of an object is the the water level will also equal the volume of
amount of space it occupies. We often use the object.
units of length to express volume. Objects There is a legend about Archimedes’
are three-dimensional (have length, width, discovery of displacement. The king
and height), and the volume is often suspected that his crown was gold-plated
expressed in cubic units. Two equations for silver rather than pure gold. Archimedes
calculating the volume of regular-shaped needed to find the volume of the crown
objects are given in Table 2.1. without damaging it. One day, he noticed
Liquids are often measured in liters. In that the water rose when he stepped into
this lab we will find the volume of liquids his bathtub. He was so excited to discover
by using a plastic graduated cylinder. Your displacement that he immediately jumped
lesson probably mentions a meniscus out of his tub and ran down the street
(curve on the surface of the liquid). Since yelling “eureka” (“I have found it”). Nothing
is said about his state of modesty.
Copyright © 2017 Quality Science Labs, LLC 1
Apex Learning: Chemistry Labs
Density is defined as mass per unit of
volume. Remember, per means “divided by.”
The equation for density is:
(Equation 2.1) m
ρ= __
V
where ρ is the density, m the mass, and V
the volume. This can be rearranged to give
an equation to find mass:
(Equation 2.2) m = ρV
Procedure
Part 1: The Density of Solids
1. Use the digital scale to mass (weigh) the
aluminum bar, PE rod, and steel bolt. To
do this, turn the scale on and make sure
the mode is in grams and the display
reads zero. Push the “M” or “Mode”
button to set the scale in “Grams” and
the “T”, “Tear”, or “Zero” button to zero
the scale so it reads all zeros. One at a
time, carefully put each object on the
scale and record the measurements in
Table 2.2.
2. Use the ruler to measure the dimensions
of the aluminum bar and the PE rod.
Estimate your measurements to the
nearest tenth of a centimeter. Record
the data in Table 2.2.
Note: Do not measure the dimensions of the bolt, as it
is irregular in shape.
3. Calculate and record the volumes of
these objects in cubic centimeters (cm3).
4. We will also use the displacement
method to find the volumes of all the
objects. Pour exactly 25 mL of water
into the graduated cylinder. Tip the
cylinder (do not spill the water) and slide
the aluminum bar into the graduated
cylinder. Note the level of the water.
The increase in volume in the cylinder
is due to the volume of the aluminum
bar. Find the volume of the bar by
subtraction and record this in Table 2.2.
2 Copyright © 2017 Quality Science Labs, LLC
5. Similar to what you did in Procedure
step 4, find the volumes of all the other
objects including the bolt. Does the PE
rod float? How can you find the volume
of it by this method? Record your data
in Table 2.2.
Part 2: The Density of Liquids
6. Measure the mass of the graduated
cylinder using the digital scale. Carefully
fill the graduated cylinder with exactly
50 mL of water and measure the mass
of the cylinder and the water. Find the
mass of the water by subtraction and
record this in Table 2.3 in the Questions
section.
7. Put about 75 mL of water into a 150 mL
beaker. Add about 5 cm3 (roughly one
teaspoon) of sodium chloride (table salt)
to the water. Stir the solution. Keep
adding salt and stirring until no more
salt will dissolve in the water. You now
have a saturated salt solution.
8. Use the method from Procedure step
6 to find the mass of 50 mL of the salt
solution. Record this in Table 2.3.
Note: You have been calculating the density of solid
materials, but fluids (liquids and gases) also have
densities. The density of air varies with temperature,
humidity, and pressure, but it is approximately 1.0 kg/
m3. One interesting thing about air: dry air is denser
than humid air. This is because a molecule of water has
less mass than the average mass of an air molecule.
9. Measure the length, width, and height
of the room in which you are. Do this in
meters and record the measurements in
the space provided at the end of this lab,
in Questions 8-10.
10. Calculate the volume of the room.
11. Using the approximate density of air,
calculate the mass of air in this room.
12. Does the mass of air in this room
surprise you? Explain.
 Mass, Volume, and Density

LAB 2
Questions for Mass, Volume, and Density
Table 2.2, The density of solids.
Dimensions, Calculated Displacement Density,
Material Mass, g
cm Vol., cm3 Vol., mL g/mL
Aluminum length = 9.7
15.52 cm3 40 - 25 = 15 2.6g/ml
(bar) 39 width = 1.6
height = 1.0

PE (rod) 21
diameter = 1.7
length = 10.5
23.82cm3 48 - 25 = 23 0.91g/ml

Iron(bolt) 39 XXX XXX 31.9 - 25 = 6.9 5.65g/ml

Note: Vol. = volume. Since the bolt has an irregular shape, find its volume by displacement only.
1. Calculate the volumes of the samples used in Procedure step 2. Record the calculated
volumes in Table 2.2. Why could we not find the volume of the bolt by this method?

The formula (v=l*w*h ) and the formula ( v= pi *r2 * l) has been used and as for the
iron (bolt), there are no described information. Due to that reason, volume of the boly
could not be found by this method.

2. How did you find the volume of the PE rod using the displacement method?
Note: 1 cm3 = 1 mL.

Because PE floats, push the rod under the water with a very small object, such as a
pin, and volume of the pin is negligible and can be ignored.

By subtracting “the initial volume of the water in the cylinder” from “the volume
of the water in the cylinder when the pe rod is placed”, the volume fo the the PE
rod can be found.

3. Except for the bolt, note the difference between the calculated volumes and the volume
found by the displacement method. Which method is more accurate? Why?

Finding volume of the objects by the formula is definitely more accurate because
calculating the result gives the exact answer and displacement method gives the
estimated result.

Copyright © 2017 Quality Science Labs, LLC 3

Apex Learning: Chemistry Labs

4. Use the volumes found by displacement to calculate the densities of the objects.
Record your data in Table 2.2.

5. The accepted values for density are: aluminum = 2.71 g/cm3; PE = about 0.925 g/cm3;
and iron = 7.87 g/cm3. Compare your values from Question 4 with these. How do they
compare? Why are they different? Note: the density of different kinds of PE and PVC vary because of
the difference in the arrangements of their molecules.

The values given in the question above are more definite and accurate because
even though 1ml = 1cm3, the results for displacement method were estimated.
Plus, by looking at the units, the density values are probably calculated with the
volumes found by “multiplying dimensions” method.

Table 2.3, The density of liquids

Liquid Volume, mL Mass, g Density, g/mL

Water 50 77 - 27 = 50 1g/cm3

Saturated Salt 1.12g/cm3

83 - 27 = 56
Solution 50

6. Calculate the densities of the liquids in Table 2.3. The accepted density of water is 1 g/
cm3. How do your results compare? Remember that 1 cm3 = 1 mL.
No matter how the units are different, the numbers in the converting equation are the
same. If the converting equation were not to be used or if the volumes were calculated
with the “dimension” method, the result of the densities might be different. In this case, the
densities were calculated by the volumes with millilitres unit and were converted to the
cm3 so, the numbers are not that different.

7. How does the density of water compare with the density of the saturated salt solution?
Is this what you would have predicted?

The saturated salt is more dense and this is exactly what I expected because
based on table 2.2, the more mass the object has, the more dense it becomes.

4 Copyright © 2017 Quality Science Labs, LLC

 Mass, Volume, and Density

8. Length of room ________

4.02 m

9. Width of room ________

3.37 m

10. Height of room ________

2.35 m

3.84
11. Volume of room ________ m3

12. Mass of air in room _______ kg

I don’t know how to find the mass of the air because the
density of the room is also not given.

13. Are you surprised by the mass of air in the room? Explain.

Copyright © 2017 Quality Science Labs, LLC 5