DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

ME LABORATORY 1

EXPERIMENT NO. 4

MEASUREMENT OF DENSITY

OBJECTIVE:
To determine the density of the various types of oil through specific gravity/density
measurement using pycnometer and hydrometer.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the experiment the student will be able to:
1. Learn the method how to measure specific gravity using pycnometer and hydrometer
2. Compare the accuracy of these instruments.
3. Explain the possible cause of error of the experimental value of specific
gravity/density from theoretical value.

THEORY:

The density is often confused with the property specific weight. In many instances and to
many people they are one and same thing. Where gravitational considerations are
unimportant this point of view will often suffice. However, to remove any misunderstanding
the properties will be defined. Density is defined as the mass per unit volume of a given
substance with a specified temperature and pressure. Specific weight is defined as the
weight (a force) per unit volume. Where the effect of the gravity is unimportant
consideration, the magnitude of the density and specific weight may be identical. The
determination of the mass of a body usually involves some sort of weighing process.
The density of most materials is a function of the conditions of the surrounding in which the
determination is made. In the case of gases, pressure is an important condition since many
density determination involve weighing. The buoyancy effect resulting from the difference in
the volume of the substance being weighed compared to the volume of the standard masses
or “weights” being used could influence precise work.
Specific gravity may be defined as the ratio of the mass of a given volume of a substance to
the mass of an equal volume of some standard substance. For liquids, the specific gravity is
the ratio of the mass of a volume of the liquid to the mass of an equal volume of distilled
water at some standard temperature, generally at 15.5°C, both masses being corrected for
the buoyancy of air. Specifically for liquids, specific gravity could be determined by
pycnometer, hydrometer, and westphal balance.

Density determination by pycnometer is a very precise method. The pycnometer (Fig1) with
well-known density, such as water. We will use distilled water, for which temperature
dependent values of density is a glass flask with a close-fitting ground glass stopper with a
capillary hole through it. This fine hole releases a spare liquid after closing a top-filled
pycnometer and allows for obtaining a given volume of measured and/or working liquid with
a high accuracy. It is a glass vessels having definite volumes of various shapes. The use of
pycnometer entails much careful and exacting procedures in cleaning and drying the bottles,
removing air bubbles, making temperature corrections, and precise weighing. The method is

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to weigh the distilled water at 15.5 °C in the bottle, and the oil sample at the same
temperature in that same bottle.
Note: The designated 15.5 °C/15.5 °C means that the specified gravity of sample is obtained
at 15.5 °C relative to water at 15.5 °C when readings are taken at temperature of
15.5°C.

FIG 1 - PYCNOMETERS

Hydrometer measures the specific gravity directly thru its graduated stem when allowed to
sink into the sample (FIG 2). The graduation is maybe calibrated either in terms of °Baume
(°Be) scale or °API. The relationship of this to the absolute specific gravity scale is given by
the equations:

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FIG 2 - HYDROMETERS HYDROMETER with oil sample

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PROCEDURE:

Note: A correction of 0.000531, this correction for temperature is for petroleum oils (refer to
references for voluminal expansion coefficient for other liquids) should be made for
each variation of 1°C from the standard temperature 15.5°C, the correction is to be
added if the temperature is above 15.5°C and subtracted if the temperature is below
15.5°C.

PYCNOMETER:
Identify the types of oil tested and record the oil temperature. Clean and dry the empty
pycnometer bottle including its stopper (cover), and then weigh. Fill the bottle with fresh
(free from dirt) distilled water at 15.5 °C and weigh. Bring the temperature of the sample and
distilled water to 15.5 °C using cold bath /refrigerated bath.

cold bath

Care must be taken to expel all air bubbles and the bottle should be properly filled up. Empty
the bottle and have it dry clean. Fill the bottle with the sample oil and weigh. Repeat the
procedure as descried above. Compute the specific gravity from the weight ratio of oil and
water.

HYDROMETER:
Pour the sample of oil sufficient to float the hydrometer in a glass of 2.5 cm. or larger in
diameter. Care must be taken to prevent splashing which might cause air bubbles. Record
the temperature of the sample oil (temperature must be at 15.5 °C otherwise temperature
correction will be made). Carefully lower the hydrometer into the oil and push below the
level at which it will float. Let it come to rest, floating vertically and freely away from the
walls of the cylinder. Read and record the gravity (scale reading) at the point, where the
surface of the liquid appears to cut the hydrometer. This is best done by looking from, below
the level of the liquid and then rising the eye until the surface changes from an ellipse to a
straight line cutting the hydrometer scale at the correct reading (proper reading of meniscus
effect).

DETAILED PROCEDURE:
A. Pycnometer
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B. Hydrometer

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TABULATED DATA AND RESULTS:

Weight of empty pycnometer bottle : 16.10 g

Gross weight of oil at 15.5 °C : 37.90 g Gross weight of water at 15.5 °C : 40.74 g
Net weight of oil at 15.5 °C : ________ Net weight of water at 15.5 °C : ________

Oil STD S.G. Expt’l S.G. %

Method
sample @15.5 °C @ 15.5 °C Error
Pycnometer SAE 30 0.875

Hydrometer SAE 30 0.875 0.878

COMPUTATION AND ANALYSIS:

Calculate the specific gravity of each oil sample at standard temperature of 15.5 °C and
compare it with the standard specific gravity as specified in the manufacturer’s catalog.
Compute also the deviation in percentage.

QUESTIONS:

1. What is mass density?

2. What is weight density?
3. Define the specific gravity of solid, liquid and gaseous substance
4. How does temperature affect the density or specific gravity of a substance?
5. Explain and discuss thoroughly other methods of determining density of a
substance.
6. With schematic diagram illustrate/describe how to determine specific gravity using
Westphal balance.
7. What is the approximate reading of hydrometer below?

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CONCLUSION:

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