RELATIVE DENSITY

The concept of density.

Figure below Shows two identical flasks one filled with water
to 250cm3 mark and the other filled with kerosene to the same
250cm3 mark, when measured in electronic balance the flask
filled with water is found to be heavier than that filled with
kerosene why? The answer is in finding the mass per unit
volume of kerosene and water in respective flasks.

The mass of the flask filled with water is 330g, and the mass of
flask filled with kerosene 280g, the empty flasks were measured
and found to be 80g therefore mass of water only is 250g and
kerosene only is 200g.
Mass per unit volume of water is 250g/ 250cm3 this is 1g/cm3.
Mass per unit volume of kerosene is 200g/ 250cm3this is
0.8g/cm3.
The results 1g/cm3 and 0.8g/cm3 are the densities of water and
kerosene respectively.
Therefore the density of a substance is the mass per unit volume
of a given substance.
The SI unit of density is kilogram per meter cubic (kg/m3) also
gram per centimeter cubic (g/cm3). The symbol for density is
rho () =mass/volume.
Example 1.
A block of ice with volume 5.5m3 has a mass of 5060kg find the
density of ice.
Solution
Volume of block=5.5m3
Mass of block=5060kg
Density=mass /volume
=5060/5.5m3.
=920kg/m3.
The density of ice is 920kg/m3.

Example 2.
A silver cylindrical rod has a length of 0.5m and radius of
0.4m,find the density of the rod if its mass is 2640kg.
Solution
Mass of cylinder=2640kg
Volume of cylinder= rh
=3.14 x 0.4 2 x 0.5
=0.2512m3
Density=mass/volume
=10509kg/m3.
Example3.
A stone has a mass of 112.5g.when the stone totally immersed in
water contained in measuring cylinder displaced water from
50cm3 to 95cm3.find the density of the stone.
Solution
Mass of the stone=112.5g
Volume of stone=95cm3-50cm3=45cm3

Density=mass/volume
=2.5g/cm3.
Example 4.
Beaker contain 262.5cm3 of a certain liquid weigh 410g,if the
mass of an empty dry beaker is 200g,find the density of the
liquid.
Solution
Mass of liquid=410g-200g=210g
Volume of liquid=262.5cm3.
Density=mass/volume
=0.8g/cm3.

DENSITY BOTTLE
The density bottle (pycnometer) consists of ground glass stopper
with a fine hole through it.

The function of the fine hole in a stopper is that, when the bottle
is filled and the stopper is inserted, the excess liquid rises
through the hole and runs down outside the bottle, by this way
the bottle will always contain the same volume of whatever the
liquid is filled in provided the temperature remains constant.
 density bottle
the bottle is used to measure density and relative density,
relative density is comparison of one density to another, thus a
density of a given volume of a substance to a density of equal
volume of referenced substance, for example a ratio of a density
of a given volume of substance to a density of an equal volume
of water, this is referred to a relative density of a given
substance or Specific gravity of a given substance. The term
specific gravity is used when the reference substance is water.
Measurement of density of liquid by relative density bottle
The mass of bottle is found when dry and empty
The bottle is then filled with the liquid density is to be
determined
The stopper is then inserted causing the liquid to overflow
The bottle is dried up by using blotting paper
The mass of the liquid and the bottle is found
Density is found from the collected data
Mass of empty bottle=m1g
Volume of liquid in the bottle=V
mass of bottle and the liquid=m2g
mass of liquid only=(m2-m1)g
density= mass /volume
density= .(m2-m1)g/V
The volume of the bottle is known, usually 25ml, 30ml or 50ml
 Example 1
A 30ml density bottle was filled with kerosene and found to
weigh 86g.if the mass empty dry bottle was 62g, find the density
of kerosene.
Solution
Mass of empty bottle=62g
Mass of bottle and kerosene=86g
Mass of kerosene only=86g-62g=24g
Density= mass /volume
=24g/30ml
=0.8g/cm3.
Determination of densities of granules and sand

To find the density of sand or granules such as lead shots a

density bottle is used as follows
1. Find the mass of empty dry density bottle mo
2. Put some granules and find the mass m1 =( mass of empty
bottle + mass of granules)
3. Pour water in the bottle until it is full and find mass m2 = (
mass of bottle + mass of granules + mass of water on top of
granules)
4. Find the mass of bottle filled with water only m3 =( mass of
bottle + mass of water)

The mass of sand = (m1-m0) g

Mass of water above the sand = (m2-m1) g
Mass of water filling the bottle = (m3-m0) g
Since density of water is 1g/cm
Volume of sand = [(m1+m3)-(mo+m2)]/1g/cm
= [(m1+m3)-(mo+m2)] cm
Density=mass/volume

Example 1
Given the data below find the density of granules
Mass of empty dry density bottle =18g
Mass of density bottle and granules=131g
Mass of density bottle and granules together with water on top
=171g

Mass of density bottle full of water=68g

RELATIVE DENSITY
Relative density of a substance is the ratio of the density of
substance to the density of water.
Or
 Relative density of a substance is the ratio of mass of any
volume of substance to the mass of an equal volume of water.

Example 1
A globe of steel has a mass of 12g and a volume of 15.2cm,find
its relative density.

To measure relative density of liquid by density bottle

Find mass of empty bottle m0
Find mass of bottle and liquid-m1
Empty the bottle and rinse it with water

Fill the bottle with water and find mass m2

Mass of liquid= (m1-m0)g

 Mass of equal volume of water= (m2-m0)g

Since comparison of density is done with water (referenced

substance) the other name of the ratio is specific gravity of a
given substance. Because the density of water is 1g/cm.Relative
density has no units it is simply a number or ratio.
Example
The mass of density bottle is 19g when dry and empty, 45g
when filled with water and 40g when full of liquid x. calculate
the density of the liquid x.

Determinations of relative density by eureka can method

Find the mass m g of solid
Fill the eureka can and let water overflow until last drop
Place under the spout of overflow can a clean dry beaker of
mass m g.
Lower the solid slowly with thin thread until it is totally
immersed
Obtain the mass of water that overflow from the eureka can and
the beaker itself m g.
The volume of water overflows into a beaker is equal to the
volume of solid
Mass of solid = m g
Mass of beaker and water=m g
Mass of beaker=m g.
Mass of water only = (m-m)g

EXAMPLE
A certain piece of metal has a mass of 282.5 g,if when the block
was totally immersed in overflow can displaced water in a
beaker of mass 20 g.if the mass of water and the beaker was 45
g,find the relative density of the metal.