13 Density

The density of some common materials

Measuring the density of a rectangular block
Measuring the density of a liquid
The density of gases

Which is heavier - the wood in the trunk of a tree or the

metal in a coin? Your first answer might be to say the trunk
of the tree, but it can float on water while a coin would
quickly sink to the bottom.
To be a fair comparison we need to find the masses of
equal volumes. If we found the mass of a piece of wood
the size of a coin we would see it was lighter.

Comparing densities
The density of a substance is a measure of the amount
of matter that is present in a certain volume of it. The
following equation shows how the density of a substance
Figure 13.1 Trmber can be ransported can be calculated:
by water because wood s less dense than mass
water, so it floats at the surface density
volume
The basic SI unit of density is found by
lividing the
unit of mass by the unit of volume, so it is
kg/m'. This
is pronounced kilograms
per metre cubed'. Table 13.1
shows the densities of some solid materials.
In the school laboratory, when small amounts of
materials are used, the density of a substance is often
calculated using masses measured in grams and volumes
in centimetres cubed,
giving a density value in g/cm.
The density value in units of
g/cm* can be converted wa
value in kg/m* by multiplying it by 1000. For
was found to have a
example, ice
density of 0:920g/cm. This can also
be expressed as 0.920 x 1000 =

920kg/m'.

170
 13DENSITY

the materials in lable 13.1 The density of sorne common solid maleials
Arrange
in order of density
Table 13.1 Material
with the least dense Density/kg/m
starting
material.
Ice 920

2 Which is heavier, 1m of steel cork 250

or 1m ofaluminium? WOod 650
Which is heavier, 1 kg of steel
or 1 kg
of cok? steel 7900

aluminium 2700
Copper 8940

lead 11350
gold 19320

polythene 920
perspex 1200

expanded polystyrene 15

Measuring the density of a rectangular solid

block
The mass of the block is found by placing the block on a
balance (check the balance reads zero first) and reading
the scale. The mass in grams is recorded. The volumeis
found by multiplying the length, width and height of the
block together and recording the value in centimetres
cubed. The density of the material in the block is found by
dividing the mass by the volume and expressing the
4 A block of material is 8 cm long, quantity in the unit g/cm*.
2cm wide and 3cm high, and
has a mass of 46g. What is its
density?
WIdtn

5 a) Convert the value you found

length
for the density in question 4
to kg/m. height
b) Compare the density of the
material in the block with
those in Table 13.1.Which
materials in the table have
densities closest 'o that of
the block?
C) How could you c,"nvert the
value of a den: en in
kg/m to g/crm
Figure 13.2 Finding the mass of a blo ki
ainc
PHYSICS

Measuring the density of an irregularly shaped

6 The mass of a pebble was
88.4g. The original volume of
water in the measuring cylinder
was 50 cm and the combined
volume of water and pebble
was 84 cm, What is the
density
of the rock in the pebble?
solid
The density of an irregularly shaped solid, such as a
pebble, can be found in the following way
The mass of the pebble is found by placing it on a
top-pan balance, as for a solid of a regular shape. The
volume is found by pouring water into a measuring
cylinder until it is about half full. The volume of the water
is read on the scale and then the pebble is carefully
lowered into the water on a thin string. When the pebble
is completely immersed in the water, the volume of the
water is read again on the scale. The volume of the pebble
is found by subtracting the first reading from the second.
The density of the pebble is found by dividing the mass of
the pebble by its volume.

measuring cylinder

2nd reading
1st reading

water

pebble

Figure 13.3 Measuring the volume of a pebble

Measuring the density of a liquid

The density of a liquid is found in the following way
1 Ameasuring cylinder is put on a balance and its m s s
found (A).
2 The liquid is poured into the measuring cylindei d its
volume measured (V).
3 The mass of the measuring cylinder and the lig
contains is found (B).
4 The mass of the liquid is found
by subtracting AtTB
5 The density of the liquid is calculated by dividiri
mass of the liquid by its volume:

density A
 13 DENSITY

Cm
500

00

25000o
Figure 13.4 Finding the mass of a measuring cyinder and the liqu
It contains

Table 13.2 shows the densities of some liquids.

Table 13.2 The densities of some liquids
Liquid Density/kg/m*
mercury 13550
water at 4°C 1000
corn oil 900

turpentine 860

paraffin oil 800

methylated spirits 790

Floating and sinking

When a piece of wood is placed in water, the wood floats.
This is due to the ditference in the densitics of the wood and
the water. From Tables 13.1 and 13.2 you can see that wood
is less dense than water. When two substances, such as a
solid and a liquid or a liquid and a liquid. are put together
the less dense substance floats tbove the lenser substance.
When full-fat milk is poured int: ontainer, such as a
and is leas derse than
crentdensiies bottle, the cream, which cont. ins
Figure 13.5 Lqu
orm layers when thy Laed the more watery milk,
rises t th to

17
 PHYSICS

oiI TOfIms a iayer

on top
thev separate and
the paraftin
poured into a container
wEparamin oil and water
are the merUIy.

water. When water and mercury are mixed the water

forms a layer on top of
ne
a) Whatcan you conclude from these two observations?
mixed togetner
b What do you predict would happen if water and corn oil
were

Reler to Table 13.2)

8 What do you think would happen if the following solids were placed n water

a) expanded polystyrene
b) polythene
c)perspex
Explain your answers.
(RefertoTable 13.1.)
in
9 What do you think would happen if the following solids were placed
mercury?
a) steel
b) gold
c) lead
Explain your answers. Figure 13.6
10 Why do you think the temperature of water is shown when the value of
its density is given?
11 Most people can just about float in water (Figure 13.6). What does this tell
you about the density of the human body?
12 When salt is dissolved in water the solution that is produced has a greater
density than pure water. An object that floats on pure water is shown in pure water

Figure 13.7. When it is placed in sait solution do you predict that it wil Figure 13.7
rise higher in the solution than it did in pure water, or sink lower?

Density of gases
Air is a mixture of gases. Its density can be found in the
following way.
OFF
1 The mass of a round-bottomed flask with its stopper,
pipe and closed clip is found by placing it on a sensitive
Figure 13.8 Finding the mass of a flask top-pan balance. The flask is then attached to a vacuum
of air using a top-pan balance
pump and the air is removed from the flask and the clip
13 How is the process of finding is closed.
2 The mass of the evacuated flask,
the mass of a gas different stopper, pipe and
from that of finding the closed clip is found by placing it back on the balance.
The mass the air in the flask is found
of
mass of a liquid? Why is the by subtracting
the second reading from the
difference necessary?
14 How can gas density be used to
first.
3 The volume of the air removed is fournd by openi
explain why hydrogen rises in the clip under water so that
water enters to repltihe
vacuum. The water is then
air and carbon dioxide sinks? poured into a measu
cylinder to find the volume.

174
 1 3DENSITYO

lable 13.3 shows

the densitics of sorme ascs.

Table 13.3 Te 00E,

dUre 0
Gas
Density/ kg/
hydrogen 0.089
air
1.29
OXygen 1.43
carbon dioxide 1.98

and
The density of a gas changes as its temperature
by
compared
are
pressure chang The densities gases
and p r e s s u r e .
measuring them at the same
mperature

and p r e s s u r e
This is called the tandard perature

The standar
is 0°C.
(STP). The standard perature 760.

that will support

pressure ofa gas is the pressure
of mercury in a vertical tube. rises above
the less dense gas
when
two gases meet

denser gas.

SUMMARY a certain
vOlunie

of the amount of matter in

of a substance is a
measure
The density
170).
of it (see page wide range of
densities (see page 171).
Common
materials have a
measurements (see page 171).
be found by making
The density of
a solidcan
measurements (see page 1/2)
found by making
liquid can be
174).
The density of
a measurements
(see page
of a gas can be found by making
The density

questions Saturn in it.

The
End of chbapter you could float the planet
came to your
water large enough
could find a lake of agree. Explain how you
that if you 13.2 and decide
if your
1 Itis claimed Look at Table
is 687 kg/m".
density of Saturn
of
has a density
decision.
answer this question. on Mars,
which

13.3 to helpyou
atmosphere
it float in the
2 Use Table air but would
balloon floats in
a) A hydrogen Explain your
answer.
Explain your
answer

Explain your
answer.

0.020 kg/m? Which gas is it?

atmosphere?
Martian
float in the in Table 13.3. of Venus
balloon one gas the atmosphere
Could an air up mostly of floating in
b) atmosphere
is made
wanted to
have bulings

c) The
Martian
fiction story and 13.1 to decide.
a science
writing Look at Table
use?
were
could you
3 If you kg/m)
which solid
(density 65

175