4/12/2014

Density,SpecificWeightandSpecificGravity

Density
Densityisdefinedasmassperunitvolume.Massisaproperty.
Whatisweightandwhatismass?thedifferencebetweenweightandmass
Densitycanbeexpressedas
=m/V=1/vg(1)
where
=density(kg/m3 ,slugs/ft3 )
m=mass(kg,slugs)
V=volume(m3 ,ft3 )
vg =specificvolume(m3 /kg,ft3 /slug)
TheSIunitsfordensityarekg/m3 .TheImperial(U.S.)unitsareslugs/ft3 .
Poundspercubicfootlb/ft3 isoftenusedasameasureofdensityintheUS,butpoundsarereallyameasureofforce,notmass.Slugsarethe
correctmeasureofmass.Youcanmultiplyslugsby32.2foraroughvalueinpounds(lb m).
1slug=32.174lb m=14.594kg
1kg=2.2046lb m=6.8521x10 2 slugs
Unitconvertermass
Unitconverterdensity
Onatomiclevelparticlesarepackedtighterinsideasubstancewithhigherdensity.Densityisaphysicalpropertyconstantatagiven
temperatureandpressureandmayhelpfulforidentificationofsubstances.
densitiesandmaterialpropertiesforsomecommonmaterials
densityofwateratdifferenttemperaturesSIandImperialunits
ExampleDensityofaGolfball
Agolfballhasadiameterof42mmandamassof45g.Thevolumeofthegolfballcanbecalculatedas
V=(4/3)((42mm)(0.001m/mm)/2)3
=3.810 5 m3
Thedensityofthegolfballcanthenbecalculatedas
=(45g)(0.001kg/g)/(3.810 5 m3 )
=1184kg/m3
ExampleDensitytoIdentifyaMaterial
Anunknownliquidsubstancehasamassof18.5gandoccupiesavolumeof23.4ml(milliliter).
Thedensityofthesubstancecanbecalculatedas
=[(18.5g)/(1000g/kg)]/[(23.4ml)/(1000ml/l)(1000l/m3 )]
=(18.510 3 kg)/(23.410 6 m3 )
=790(kg/m3 )
Ifwelookupdensitiesofsomecommonliquids,wefindthatethylalcoholorethanolhasadensityof789kg/m3 .Theliquidmaybeethylalcohol!
ExampleDensitytoCalculateVolumeMass
Thedensityoftitaniumis4507kg/m3 .Themassof0.17m3 volumetitaniumcanbecalculatedas
m=(0.17m3 )(4507kg/m3 )
=766.2(kg)

SpecificWeight
SpecificWeightisdefinedasweightperunitvolume.Weightisaforce.
Whatisweightandwhatismass?thedifferencebetweenweightandmass
SpecificWeightcanbeexpressedas
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4/12/2014

Density,SpecificWeightandSpecificGravity

=g(2)
where
=specificweight(N/m3 ,lb/ft3 )
=density(kg/m3 ,slugs/ft3 )
g=accelerationofgravity(9.807m/s2 ,32.174ft/s2 )
TheSIunitsforspecificweightareN/m3 .Theimperialunitsarelb/ft3 .
Localaccelerationgis(undernormalconditions)9.807m/s2 inSIunitsand32.174ft/s2 inimperialunits.
ExampleSpecificWeightWater
Thedensityofwateris1000kg/m3 at4o C(39o F).ThespecificweightinSIunitsis
=(1000kg/m3 )(9.81m/s2 )
=9810(N/m3 )
=9.81(kN/m3 )
Thedensityofwateris1.940slugs/ft3 at39o F(4o C).ThespecificweightinImperialunitsis
=(1.940slugs/ft3 )(32.174ft/s2 )
=62.4(lb/ft3 )
SpecificWeightforSomecommonMaterials

Product

SpecificWeight

ImperialUnits
(lb/ft3 )

SIUnits
(kN/m3 )

Aluminum

172

27

Brass

540

84.5

Copper

570

89

EthylAlcohol

49.3

7.74

Gasoline

42.5

6.67

Glycerin

78.6

12.4

Mercury

847

133.7

SAE20Oil

57

8.95

Seawater

64

10.1

StainlessSteel

499512

7880

Water

62.4

9.81

WroughtIron

474499

7478

MaterialProperties

SpecificGravity(RelativeDensity)
SpecificGravitySGisadimensionlessunitdefinedastheratioofthedensityofasubstancetothedensityofwaterataspecified
temperature,andcanbeexpressedas
SG=substance /H2O(3)
where
SG=SpecificGravityofthesubstance
substance =densityofthefluidorsubstance(kg/m3 )
H2O=densityofwaternormallyattemperature4o C(kg/m3 )
Itiscommontousethedensityofwaterat4o C(39 o F)asareferencesincewateratthispointhasitshighestdensityof1000kg/m3or62.4lb/ft3 .
SpecificGravitySGisdimensionlessandhasthesamevalueintheSIsystemandtheimperialEnglishsystem(BG).Waterisnormallyalso
usedasreferencewhencalculatingthespecificgravityforsolids.
ThermalPropertiesofWaterDensity,Freezingtemperature,Boilingtemperature,Latentheatofmelting,Latentheatofevaporation,
Criticaltemperature...
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Density,SpecificWeightandSpecificGravity

SpecificGravitiesforsomecommonMaterials
Substance

SpecificGravity
SG

Acetylene

0.0017

Air,dry

0.0013

Alcohol

0.82

Aluminum

2.72

Brass

8.48

Cadmium

8.57

Chromium

7.03

Copper

8.79

Carbondioxide

0.00198

Carbonmonoxide

0.00126

Castiron

7.20

Hydrogen

0.00009

Lead

11.35

Mercury

13.59

Nickel

8.73

Nitrogen

0.00125

Nylon

1.12

Oxygen

0.00143

Paraffin

0.80

Petrol

0.72

PVC

1.36

Rubber

0.96

Steel

7.82

Tin

7.28

Zinc

7.12

Water(4 oC)

1.00

Water,sea

1.02

ExampleSpecificGravityofIron
Thedensityofironis7850kg/m3 .Thespecificgravityofironrelatedtowaterwithdensity1000kg/m3 is
SG=(7850kg/m3 )/(1000kg/m3 )
=7.85
SpecificGravitiesofGases
TheSpecificGravityofagasisnormallycalculatedwithreferencetoairanddefinedastheratioofthedensityofthegastothedensityofthe
airataspecifiedtemperatureandpressure.
SpecificGravitycanbecalculatedas
SG=gas/air(3)
where
SG=specificgravityofgas
gas=densityofgas(kg/m3 )
air=densityofair(normallyatNTP1.205kg/m3 )
NTPNormalTemperatureandPressuredefinedasairat20 o C(293.15K,68 o F)and1atm(101.325kN/m2,101.325kPa,14.7psia,0
psig,30inHg,760torr)
MolecularweightscanbeusedtocalculatetheSpecificGravityifthedensitiesofthegasandtheairareevaluatedatthesamepressureand
temperature.

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