1.

06 Calculating density
Define density and perform calculations using ρ =m/V
Predict whether an object will float or sink based on density data
 It is the mass per unit volume of a substance and it is
calculated as follows:
Density = Mass/Volume or ρ = m/V
 Where:
ρ = density;
m = mass;
V = volume

 Since each material has its own density, the density can
be used to identify substances.
 For example, the density of pure gold is 19300 kg/m3. If
the density of a gold ring is not 19300 kg/m3 then it is not
made of pure gold, i.e. it must have some impurities.

Density
 The King had given his goldsmith some gold to make a crown. But
when the crown was delivered, the King was suspicious. Perhaps
the goldsmith had stolen some of the gold and mixed in cheaper
silver instead, thus, he asked Archimedes to test his crown.
 Archimedes knew that the crown was the correct mass. He also
knew that silver was less dense than gold. So a crown with silver
would have a greater volume than it should have. But how could he
measure the volume?
 Stepping into his bath one day, Archimedes noticed the rise in the
level of water. He was so excited that he leptfrom his bath and ran
naked through the streets, shouting "Eureka!", which means "I
have found it!"

Archimedes
and the crown*
 The approximate densities of some common substances
are given in the table below:

Density
 Density of lead is higher than density of wood, this
means that for the same volume of both materials, lead
is heavier than wood.
 The densities of solids and liquids vary slightly with
temperature. Most substances get little bigger when
heated. The increase in volume reduces the density.
 Densities of gases can vary enormously depending on
how compressed they are.
 The rare metal osmium is the most dense substance
found on earth.

Density
Density of water
 The only exception for density relation with temperature
is water being more dense at 4°C than 0°C in ice
 Because water molecules in liquid phase at 4ºC are
closer together than in ice where they link up in a
very open structure that actually takes up more space.
 For that reason, icebergs floats in water and unlagged
water pipes burst in very cold weather

Density of water
Ex 1. Suggest why fish can survive in a frozen pond?
The water at the top of the pond cools first, contracts and
being denser sinks to the bottom. Warmer, less dense water
rises to the surface to be cooled. When all the water is at 4
ºC the circulation stops. If the temperature of the surface
water falls below 4 ºC, it becomes less dense and remains
at the top, eventually forming a layer of ice at 0 ºC.
Temperatures in the pond are then as shown.

Example 1
 The SI unit of density is the kg/m3, however, as most
objects we handle daily have relatively small masses and
volumes, the g/cm3 is most commonly used.
 To convert a density from kg/m3 to g/cm3, we divide the
number by 1000 as shown below:

 If the material is less dense than water it will float if it is

more dense, it will sink.

Density units
Ex 2. The image below shows a tank of water into which
various objects have been placed. Which of the following
statements might explain what is observed?
a. The cork and stone have densities less than density of water.
b. The ice cube and cork have densities greater than density of water.
c. The stone and iron nail have densities greater than the density of
water.
d. The piece of wood and iron nail have densities less than density of
water.

Answer is C

Example 2
 Floating is made possible by an upward force called
Upthrust, produced whenever an object is immersed
in a liquid or gas (fluids).
 To experience this force try pushing an empty bottle
down into the water.
 An iron nail sinks in water, but an iron ship floats,
because its average density is less than that of water.
 Since a large ship contains a large volume of air in the
various rooms and cabins.

Float or sink
Ex 3. A ship of mass 7.68 x 107 kg is 268 m long, 32 m
wide and 25 m high. What is the average density of ship?

Assuming cuboidal shape.

Volume of ship = 268 x 32 x 25
Volume of ship = 214400 m3
Average density = total mass = 7.68 x 107 kg
total volume 214400 m3
Average density = 358 kg/m3

As noticed the average density is less than the density of

seawater, (1025 kg/m3)

Example 3
 Hot air is less dense than cold air, so hot air balloon
will rise upwards provided the gas cylinders, basket,
fabric, and passengers do not increase the average
density by too much.

Float or sink
Ex 4. A balloon contains 2000 m3 of air. When the air is cold,
its density is 1.3 kg/m3. When heated, the air expands so
that some is pushed out of the hole at the bottom, and the
density falls to 1.1 kg/m3. Calculate the following:
a. The mass of air in the balloon when cold
b. The mass of air in the balloon when hot
c. The mass of air lost from the balloon during heating.

a. m cold air= ρ cold air x v cold air = 1.3 g/cm3 x 2000 m3 = 2600 kg
b. m hot air = ρ hot air x v hot air = 1.1 g/cm x 2000 m = 2200 kg
3 3

c. m lost = m cold air - m hot air = 2600 kg - 2200 kg = 400 kg

Example 4
 Predict what might happen if we pour a small volume of oil
into water?

 The oil will float on top of the water since:

1. The two liquids are immiscible (do not mix) liquids.
2. The liquid with lower density floats on top of the liquid with
higher density.

Immiscible
liquids
Ex 5. The student pours liquid honey into a container,
then carefully adds some water and some kerosene.
The liquids do not mix but form three separate layers as
shown below. Identify the correct statements about the
densities of the liquids.
 Honey has the smallest density Answer is 2 and 4
 Honey has a larger density than water
 Kerosene has the largest density
 Kerosene has a smaller density than water
 Water has a larger density than honey
 Water has a smaller density than kerosene

Example 5
Ex 6. Use the information below to calculate:
a. The mass, volume and density of the liquid
b. The mass, volume and density of the stone

Example 6
a. Mass of liquid can be measured by subtracting the
mass of the beaker plus the liquid from the mass of
the empty beaker, so:
Mass of liquid = 170 g - 90 g = 80 g
Volume of liquid = 100 cm3
ρliquid = 80g / 100cm3 = 0.8 g/cm3

b. Mass of stone = 290 g - 170 g = 120 g

Volume of stone = 48 cm3
ρliquid = 120g / 48cm3 = 2.5 g/cm3

Example 6
Ex 7. Using the density data from the table, calculate
the mass of steel having the same volume as 5400 kg
of aluminum?
V = m/ρ = 5400 kg / 2700 kg/m3 = 2 m3
This is also the volume of steel and ρsteel = 7800 kg/m3

Thus, m = V x ρ = 2 m3 x 7800 kg/m3 = 15600 kg.

Example 7
Ex 8. The density of copper is greater than the density of
iron. If both materials have the same mass, which material
will have a greater volume. Explain your answer.

Because ρ = m/V, mcopper = miron, and ρcopper>ρiron. Then:

ρcopper>ρiron = mcopper / Vcopper > miron / Viron

Divide both sides by m (same masses)

1 / Vcopper > 1 / Viron => V iron> V copper.

Thus, Volume of iron will be greater than the volume of

copper because volume is inversely proportional to density.

Example 8
Ex 9. A cube of side 2.0 cm has a density of 6.0 g/cm3. A
hole of volume 1.0 cm3 is drilled into the cube. The hole is
filled up with a certain material of density 5.0 g/cm3.
Calculate the density of this composite cube in kg/m3.

Example 9
Volume of cube = (side)3
Volume of cube = 2 x 2 x 2 = 8.0 cm3
Volume of cube after hole is drilled = 8.0 – 1.0 = 7.0 cm3
Mass of cube after hole = 6.0 g/cm3 x 7.0 cm3 = 42.0 g
Mass of the material = 5.0 g/cm3 x 1.0 cm3 = 5.0 g
Average density = total mass = (42.0 + 5.0) g
total volume (7.0 + 1.0) cm3
Average density = 5.88 g/cm3 or 5880 kg/m3

Example 9
Q1. Define density and state its commonly used units.

Q2. How would you measure the density of an irregularly

shaped object that sinks in water?

Q3. What volume of mercury has the same mass as 1.7 m3 of

petrol?

Q4. The density of gold is 19 g/cm3. Find the volume of two

gold alloys of mass 2 kg?

Q5. The mass of a measuring cylinder is 60.0 g. When 30 cm3

of olive oil is poured into it, the total mass is 87.6 g. What is
the density of olive oil in g/cm3?

Homework
Q6. Aluminum has a density of 2700 kg/m3
a. What is its density in g/cm3?
b. What is the mass of 20 cm3 of aluminum?
c. What is the volume of 27 g of aluminum?

Q7. A teacher showed some students a simple experiment.

She poured the water into a measuring cylinder, followed by
glycerine and then mercury. The students observed that the
three liquids did not mix but instead settled into there distinct
layers in a certain order.
The table shows the densities of the liquids. Predict the order
starting from the bottom of the measuring cylinder.
Liquid density
Liquid
(kg/m3)
Glycerine 1260
Mercury 13600
Homework Water 1000
Q8. The water in a measuring cylinder is at the 50 cm3 level.
A pebble is dropped into the water and the water level rises to
60 cm3. The pebble is completely covered by water. Calculate
a. The volume of the pebble
b. The density of the pebble, if it weighs 60 g.

Q9. Which substance is made of the most dense material and

which is made up of the same material?

Substance Mass (g) Length (cm) Width (cm) Height (cm) Radius (cm)
Cube 420 5.0 5.0 5.0 -
Rectangular 480 8.0 6.0 2.5 -
Cylinder 360 - - 7.0 3.4
Sphere 380 - - - 4.0

Homework
Q10. Archimedes the Greek mathematician, was the first
one who discovered how to measure the volume of a solid
through immersing it in a liquid in his well-known bath
story to find if the crown of his king was purely gold or
contain some impurities. The table below shows three
crowns with their masses and volume, decide which one
is gold, which is silver and which is a mixture, knowing
that ρgold = 19.3 g/cm3 and ρsilver = 10.5 g/cm3?

Homework