Relative density Facts for Kids

Relative density also called specific gravity, is a ratio of the densities of two materials. Specific gravity for solids and liquids is nearly always measured with respect to water at its densest (at 4 °C or 39.2 °F); for gases, the reference is air at room temperature (20 °C or 68 °F).

If a substance's relative density is less than one then it is less dense than the reference; if greater than 1 then it is denser than the reference. If the relative density is exactly 1 then the densities are equal; that is, equal volumes of the two substances have the same mass. If the reference material is water then a substance with a relative density (or specific gravity) less than 1 will float in water. For example, an ice cube, with a relative density of about 0.91, will float. A substance with a relative density greater than 1 will sink.

Temperature and pressure must be specified for both the sample and the reference. Pressure is nearly always 1 atm (101.325 kPa). Where it is not, it is more usual to specify the density directly. Temperatures for both sample and reference vary from industry to industry. In British brewing practice the specific gravity as specified above is multiplied by 1000. Specific gravity is commonly used in industry as a simple means of obtaining information about the concentration of solutions of various materials such as brines, sugar solutions (syrups, juices, honeys, brewers wort, must, etc.) and acids.

Measurement
Examples
Images for kids
See also

Measurement

Relative density can be calculated directly by measuring the density of a sample and dividing it by the (known) density of the reference substance. The density of the sample is simply its mass divided by its volume. Although mass is easy to measure, the volume of an irregularly shaped sample can be more difficult to ascertain. One method is to put the sample in a water-filled graduated cylinder and read off how much water it displaces. Alternatively the container can be filled to the brim, the sample immersed, and the volume of overflow measured. The surface tension of the water may keep a significant amount of water from overflowing, which is especially problematic for small samples. For this reason it is desirable to use a water container with as small a mouth as possible.

For each substance, the density, ρ, is given by ${\displaystyle \rho = \frac{\text{Mass}}{\text{Volume}} = \frac{\text{Deflection} \times \frac{\text{Spring Constant}}{\text{Gravity}}}{\text{Displacement}_\mathrm{Water Line} \times \text{Area}_\mathrm{Cylinder}}.}$

When these densities are divided, references to the spring constant, gravity and cross-sectional area simply cancel, leaving ${\displaystyle RD = \frac{\rho_\mathrm{object}}{\rho_\mathrm{ref}} = \frac{\frac{\text{Deflection}_\mathrm{Obj.}}{\text{Displacement}_\mathrm{Obj.}}}{\frac{\text{Deflection}_\mathrm{Ref.}}{\text{Displacement}_\mathrm{Ref.}}} = \frac{\frac{3\ \mathrm{in}}{20\ \mathrm{mm}}}{\frac{5\ \mathrm{in}}{34\ \mathrm{mm}}}=\frac{3\ \mathrm{in} \times 34\ \mathrm{mm}}{5\ \mathrm{in} \times 20\ \mathrm{mm}} = 1.02. }$

Examples

Material	Specific gravity
Balsa wood	0.2
Oak wood	0.75
Ethanol	0.78
Olive oil	0.91
Water	1
Ironwood	1.5
Graphite	1.9–2.3
Table salt	2.17
Aluminium	2.7
Cement	3.15
Iron	7.87
Copper	8.96
Lead	11.35
Mercury	13.56
Depleted uranium	19.1
Gold	19.3
Osmium	22.59