DENSITY

Chapter 1
CONTENTS
• Introduction
• Density of Matter
• Calculating Density
 WHAT IS DENSITY?
• Which one of the squares below is more dense?

Square A Square B
WHAT IS DENSITY?
Square B is more dense.

Square A Square B
WHAT IS DENSITY?
• Remember the equation? mass
density = ─────
volume
1. The volumes are equal (squares are the same size)
2. The masses are different (Square B has more
particles)
Square A Square B
WHAT IS DENSITY?
• How about this? Now which square is more dense?

Square A Square B
WHAT IS DENSITY?
• Square B is more dense. It has the same amount of
matter (mass) in a smaller space.
Square A Square B
WHAT IS DENSITY?
• Density is about physical property of matter.
• Density is a comparison of how much matter there is in a
certain amount of space.
• It is a relationship between mass and volume.
• So, it can be expressed by the formula:

mass
density = ─────
volume
Density of Matter
How tightly packed matter is the amount of mass in a given
space.

MORE DENSE LESS DENSE

 Sink & Float

Float Sink
(density of object < density of liquid) (density of object > density of liquid)
 Density in Liquids
• The density of a liquid is a measure of how heavy it is for
the amount measured.

LESS DENSE

MORE DENSE
 CALCULATING DENSITY
• Density can be calculated by using the formula:
mass
density = ─────
volume
• The standard units used in density are:
• Mass is measured in grams (g) / kilograms (kg)
• Volume is measured in cubic centimeters (cm3) / cubic meters
(m3)
• Therefore, density is expressed in g/cm3 or kg/m3.
 Remember!
1 m3 = 1 000 000 cm3
1 litre = 1 000 cm3
1 ml = 1 cm3
1 g/cm3 = 1000 kg/m3
1 kg/m3 = 0.001 g/cm3

Density of Water
(1000 kg/m or
3 1 g/cm )
3
EXAMPLES
• Jack has a rock. The rock has a mass of 6g and a
volume of 3cm3. What is the density of the rock?
d=6g 3 cm3 = 2 g/cm3
• Jill has a gel pen. The gel pen has a mass of 8g and
a volume of 2cm3. What is the density of the pen?
d=8g 2 cm3 = 4 g/cm3
Now, try these on your own.

• Alicia has a watch. It has a mass of 4g and a

volume of 2cm3. What is the density of the
watch?
d = 4g 2cm3 = 2g/cm3
• Mr. Barrett has a wallet. It has a mass of
15g and a volume of 5cm3. What is the
density of the wallet?
d = 15g 5cm3 = 3g/cm3
• There are 3 ways to find the volume of a
substance depending on if it is:
1. a liquid,
2. a regular solid,
3. an irregular solid.
1. Find the volume of substance if it is LIQUID

If the substance is a liquid, you must read

the meniscus of a graduated cylinder.
Example: The mass of the
liquid in this graduated cylinder is
219 g. What is its density?
V = 73 ml
V = 73 cm3

d = 219 g 73 cm3 = 3 g/cm3

 The mass of this liquid is 36g.
What is its density?

d = 36 g 18 cm3
= 2 g/cm3

V = 18 ml
V = 18 cm3
 This liquid has a mass of 70 g.
What is its density?
d = 70 g 35 cm3
= 2 g/cm3

V = 35 ml
V = 35 cm3
2. Find the volume of substance if it is a
REGULAR SOLID

If the substance is a regular solid, you must

calculate the volume using :

Cuboid : V = length x width x height

Cube : V = side x side x side
Cylinder : V = π x r x r x h = πr2h
What is the density of the solid below if its mass is
150g? Measurements below are in cm.

V = 2cm x 5cm x 3cm = 30cm3.

d = 150 g 30 cm3
= 5 g/cm3
The mass is 48g. What is the density?

V = 4cm x 2cm x 3cm = 24cm3.

d = 48 g 24 cm3
= 2 g/cm3
The mass is 72g. What is the density of this box?

V = 8cm x 1cm x 1cm = 8cm3.

d = 72 g 8 cm3
= 9 g/cm3
3. Find the volume of substance if it is a
IRREGULAR SOLID

To get the density of an irregular solid :

1) Measure the volume of water in a graduated
cylinder before and after you drop in the solid.
2) Subtract the 2 measurements to get the solid s
volume.

Rock s mass = 35g

 What is the density if the rock’s mass is
35 g?

V = 30 ml – 23 ml
= 7 ml
= 7 cm3

d = 35 g 7 cm3
= 5 g/cm3

23 ml 30 ml
before after

Rock s mass = 35g