Mapua Institute of Technology

School of Civil Engineering Environmental and Sanitary Engineering

Hydraulics Laboratory

Experiment No. 2
Measurement of Densities
and Specific Gravities

Name: Bautista, Derwin Daniel C.

Student #: 2008103322
Program & Year: CE / 3
Course code & Sec: CE140-OP / B2 (Fluid mechanics)
Group #: 5
Group Members: Espejo, Mhello; Ramos, Jomar; Bautista, Derwin
Date Performed: October 15, 2010
Date Submitted: October 28, 2010
Ratings

Engr. Fibor J. Tan

Instructor

HYDRAULICS DEPARTMENT
Name: ____Bautista, Derwin Daniel C._________________
Subject & Section:__CE140-0P/B2_______ Date Performed:_October 15, 2010_
Instructor:___Engr. Fibor J. Tan________
Date Submitted: _October 28, 2010_

EXPERIMENT NO.2
MEASUREMENT OF DENSITIES AND SPECIFIC GRAVITIES
EXPERIMENT A: Determining Specific Gravity Using a Hydrometer
OBJECTIVE:
To determine densities and specific gravities using a hydrometer
APPARATUS:
Universal Hydrometer
4 off Hydrometer Jars

LABORATORY PROCEDURE:
METHOD:
a

Fill one hydrometer jar with sufficient water to float the hydrometer
and check that the scale marking corresponding to depth of immersion
reads 1.00
Fill three hydrometer jars with the liquids to be tested with sufficient of
the liquids to float the hydrometer and note for each liquid scale
reading.

NOTE:
2

It is suggested that the liquids should be those to be used in Experiment

for determining the viscosity of liquids: an engine oil, glycerol, and castor
oil.

RESULTS:
Barometric Pressure _____ mm of Hg
Temperature _20_ C

Liquid

Scale Reading = Specific

Gravity, S
1.00
0.79
0.85
0.93

Water
Kerosene
Diesel
Cooking Oil

Since s

L=S

And

density of liquid
density of water

(Eqn 1)

w =

gm
1
kg
= 3 106=103 3
m1 10
m

Density,
Liquid

gm/ml

Water

1.00

3
kg/ m

1000

Kerosene
Diesel
Cooking Oil

0.79
0.85
0.93

790
850
930

EXPERIMENT B: Determining Specific Gravity Using a U-Tube Manometer

INTRODUCTION:
A manometer is a tube usually bent in a form of a U, containing of known specific
gravity, the surface of which moves proportionally to changes of pressure. It is
used to measure pressure.
The three types of manometer are open type, differential type and piezometer. The
open type manometer has a atmospheric surface in one leg and is capable of
measuring gage pressure. A differential type manometer is without an atmospheric
surface and capable of measuring only differences of pressure. A piezometer is the
simplest form of open manometer. It is a tube tapped into a wall of a container on
conduit for the purpose of measuring pressure. The fluid in the container or conduit
rises in this tube to form a free surface.
OBJECTIVE:
To be able to get the specific gravity of the kerosene, diesel, and cooking oil using
the manometer.
APPARATUS:
Manometer
LABORATORY PROCEDURE:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Set up the manometer.

Place water to the tube.
Place kerosene after you places the water.
Record the reading of the pressure head.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the succeeding trial.
Solve for the specific gravity.

REPORT:

1. What is the use of manometer?

2. Differentiate the three types of manometer.
3. Given the height of the fluid column, h= 20m, fluid density, = 5kg/m 3.
Calculate the manometer pressure.

FINAL DATA SHEET

Name: __Bautista, Derwin Daniel C._____________________________ Date: __October 15, 2010____
Subject & Section: ____CE140 0P / B2__________________________ Group No.: _____5_________
Seat no. __________
EXPERIMENT NO. 2
MEASUREMENT OF DENSITIES AND SPECIFIC GRAVITIES

GROUP NO.

LIQUID

Kerosene
Diesel
Cooking Oil

GROUP NO.
5

LIQUID
Kerosene
Diesel
Cooking Oil

(kN/m3)
9.81
9.81
9.81

True Value Sk
0.79
0.85
0.93

hw
(cm)

hk
(cm)

Sw

SK

18.6
19.8
26.7

23.5
23.4
28.8

1.00
1.00
1.00

0.791
0.846
0.927

Average Sk
0.791
0.846
0.927

Percent Error (%)

0.1266
0.4706
0.3226

FINAL SAMPLE COMPUTATIONS

From Kerosene.
I.

Finding Sk
Given:

hw =18.6 cm; h k =23.5 cm ; P A =P B=0

Derivation:
P A + L h L W hW =PB
L hL = L hW
L=

W hW
hL

L =S L W
S L W =

W hW
hL

Formula:
h
SL= w
hL
SL=

18.6
23.5

S L =0.791

II.

Percent Error
Given:

TV =0.79 ; EV =0.791

Formula:
%Error=

(EV TV )
100
TV

%Error=

(0.7910.79)
100
0.79

%Error=0.1266

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Specific gravity is an important property of a liquid. It is the computed ratio
of the mass densities of a certain body and water which is also denoted as the
reference substance. This can be also expressed as the computed ratio of the
unit weights of this certain body and water. Mostly, the body is classified as
liquids. In this experiment, the group is able to perform two different methods in
measuring the specific gravity. First is through the hydrometer, an instrument
used to measure the specific gravity (or relative density) of liquids. The value
obtained from the hydrometer will serve as the true value for the specific gravity
of a certain liquid. Hydrometers are usually made of glass and consist of a
cylindrical stem and a bulb weighted with mercury or lead shot to make it float
upright. The liquid to be tested is poured into a tall container, often a graduated
cylinder, and the hydrometer is gently lowered into the liquid until it floats freely.
The point at which the surface of the liquid touches the stem of the hydrometer
is noted. Hydrometers usually contain a scale inside the stem, so that the
specific gravity can be read directly. Another method of measuring the specific
gravity is through U-tube manometer wherein from derivations (refer to the
objectives), will arrive at a assumption that the specific gravity may also be
denoted as the ratio of the height of water and the height of the substance
which will serve as the experimental value for the specific gravity subjected to
percentage error. There will also be an assumption that the specific gravity of a
substance is directly proportional to its height.

Theres absolutely no way to eliminate errors in the said experiment. Some

possible sources of errors in this experiment may be the difficulty in measuring
the height of the liquids since the group only used ruler in measuring. The
calibration of the ruler may not be too accurate to measure the said quantity.
There can also be an assumption that the laboratory experiment performers may
commit mistakes in measuring the said quantities such as misalignment of the
ruler that caused the result measured to commit errors even at its slightest.

ANSWERS TO REPORT
1. Manometer is a device employed to measure pressure of fluids. Manometers
are those pressure measuring devices which are based on the principle of
balancing the column of liquid by the same or another column of liquid. The
advantages of using manometers are it is simple to use and no calibration is
required.
2. Three types of Manometers:
a. Simple Manometer - is one which consists of a glass tube, whose one
end is connected to a point where pressure is to be measured and the
other end is open to atmosphere.
b. Differential Manometer is a device that measures the difference in
pressure between two places. Differential manometers can range from
devices simple enough to be built at home to complex digital equipment.
c. Inclined Manometer is used to measure very small pressures,
vacuums, or differentials. The slanted scale enables reading 0.01WC
variations, which is impossible with conventional manometers or gauges.
3. Given:
h=20 m

=5 kg/m

Find: Manometer Pressure

P=h

=g

P=gh

( mkg )( 9.81 ms )(20 m)

P= 5

P=981 Pa

CONCLUSION
Going further, the group had been able to generalize that the specific gravity
of a certain liquid can be measured using a hydrometer and a manometer; any
kinds may be used but in this experiment, the U-tube manometer. It can be said
that the results gained from the manometer be the approximated experimental
value and the values gained from the hydrometer be the approximated true value
of the specific gravity of a certain liquid in which in this experiment: kerosene,
diesel, and cooking oil. It is also conclusive that theres only one corresponding
value of mass density (), unit weight (), and specific gravity (S) for all types of
fluids; with the exception that these values vary with temperature. Through some
theories learned theoretically, it can be concluded that decrease in the elevation
means an increase with pressure and with a certain reference point, if the height of
the liquid is greater than that of the reference fluid which is water, it will yield a
specific gravity lesser than 1 which also means a less dense fluid and otherwise, it
will be a fluid denser than water at 4 degree centigrade.

It is recommended for reduction of possible causes of errors in this

experiment is through further knowledge and learning of the experiments that will
be performed. The procedure and other concepts must be read carefully and must
be familiarized. In addition, it was recommended to use other materials that yield
more accurate results.

Aside from hydrometer, a pycnometer, also called pyknometer or specific

gravity bottle, is a device used to determine the density of a liquid. A pycnometer
is usually made of glass, with a close-fitting ground glass stopper with a capillary
tube through it, so that air bubbles may escape from the apparatus. This device
enables a liquid's density to be measured accurately by reference to an
appropriate working fluid, such as water or mercury, using an analytical balance. If
the flask is weighed empty, full of water, and full of a liquid whose specific gravity
is desired, the specific gravity of the liquid can easily be calculated. The particle
density of a powder, to which the usual method of weighing cannot be applied, can
also be determined with a pycnometer. The powder is added to the pycnometer,
which is then weighed, giving the weight of the powder sample. The pycnometer is
then filled with a liquid of known density, in which the powder is completely
insoluble. The weight of the displaced liquid can then be determined, and hence
the specific gravity of the powder.

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