SCIENCE

DENSITY
Which is heavier- the wood in the trunk of a tree or the metal in a coin?
 DENSITY

LEARNING Describe how the density of a

substance relates to its mass in a

OBJECTIVE defined volume.

Calculate and compare densities

of solids, liquids and gases.

Use density to explain why

objects float or sink in water.
 DENSITY
A. Defining and comparing density

The density of a subtance is a measure of the ammount of

matter that present in a certain volume of that subtance.
The equation to calculated density is:
Density = mass : volume
The basic SI unit of density is found by dividing the unit of
mass by the unit of volume, so it is kg/m 3 (kilograms per
metre cubed)
Note :
The density value in g/cm 3 can be converted to a
value in kg/m 3 by multiplying it 1.000
 DENSITY
1. Density in

SOLIDS Widht
Length

A. Measuring the density of a rectangular solid block

Placing the block on a balance and reading Height

the scale (The mass is recorded in gram)
The volume is found by multiplying the
length, widht, and height of the block
together and recording the volume in cm3
The density of the material in the block is
then found by dividing the mass by the
volume and expressing the quantity in the
unit g/cm 3
Figure 1. Finding the mass of a block
using a top-pan balance
 DENSITY
1. Density in

SOLIDS The density of an irregularly shaped solid,

such as pebble, can be found in the following
way:
B. Measuring the density of an irregular
shaped solid
The mass of the pebble is found by placing it on a top-pan
balance, just as for a solid of a regular shape
The volume is found by pouring water into a measuring
cylinder until it is about half-full. The volume of the water is
read on the scale,then the pebble is carefully lowered into
the water on a thin string, and read again the volume on the
scale (The volume of the pebble is found by subtracting
the first reading from the second) Figure 2. Measuring the volume of
The density of the pebble is then found by dividing the mass a pebble
of the pebble by its volume.
 DENSITY
1. Density in

SOLIDS
1. A block of material is 8 cm long, 2 cm wide
and 3 cm high, and has a mass of 46 g.
What is its density?
2. Convert the value you found for the density
3
in question 1 to kg/m
3. Compare the density of the material in the
block with those in Tabel 1. Which materials
in the table have densities closest to that of
the block?
4. How could you convert the value of a
3 3
density given in kg/m to g/m
 DENSITY
2. Density in
A. Measuring the density of a liquid

LIQUIDS A measuring cylinder is put on a balance and its mass is found (A)
The liquid is poured into the measuring cylinder and its volume is
measured (V)
The mass of the measuring cylinder and the liquid it contains is
found (B)
The density of the liquid is then calculated by dividing the mass of
the liquid by its volume:

Density = B - A
V

Figure 3. Finding the mass of a measuring

cylinder and the liquid it contains
 DENSITY
2. Density in

LIQUIDS
Hypothesis and
Prediction
When paraffin oil and water are
poured into a container, they separate
and the paraffin oil forms a layer on
top of the water.

When water and mercury are mixed,

the water forms a layer on top of the
mercury.
1. What can you conclude from these
two observations?
2. What do you predict would
happen if water and corn oil were
mixed together?
 DENSITY

Floating and Sinking

When a piece of wood is placed in water, the wood floats. This is due to the
difference in the densities of the wood and the water.

When two subtances are put together, such as a solid and a liquid or liquid
and a liquid, the less dense subtances floats above the denser subtances

Define the things which is

a denser subtances from
these picture!
Figure 4. Floating and sinking Phenomena
 DENSITY
3. Density in

GAS
Air is a mixture of gases. Its density can be found in
the following way:

A a round-bottomed flask with its gas stopper, pipe, and

closed clip is put on a balance and its mass is found (A)
The gas such as helium, hydrogen, or nitrogen is filled
into the flask and its mass is measured (B)
The volume of the measuring cylinder and the liquid it
contains is found by submerge the flask in a container of
water. The flask will cause the water level to rise. Mark
the new height of the water and remove the flask. Use a Find the mass of the empty Measure the amount of
beaker to measure the amount of water needed to fill and filled flask displaced water.

the container to the mark (without the flask in the

water). The volume of the balloon is equal to the
volume of the water you add (V)
Density = B - A
The density of the liquid is then calculated by dividing V
the mass of the liquid by its volume:
 DENSITY
3. Density in

GAS The density of a gas change as its

temperature and pressure change. The
densities of gases are compared by
measuring them at the same temperature
and pressure as standard (STP)

The standard temperature is at 0 celcius

degrees and the standard pressure of a gas
is the pressure that will support 760 mm of
mercury in a vertical tube.

When 2 gases meet, the less dense will rise

above the denser gas
 DENSITY

Solids are more dense that Gas is less dense than

liquids. solids.
SUMMARY The density of a subtance depends on the mass of a
certain volume
A formula can be used to calculate densities
The density of a regular shaped solid can be found
by measuring its mass and calculating its volume.
The density of an irregulary shaped solid can be
found by measuring its volume by immersing it in
water and measuring its mass
The density of a liquid can be calculated by
measuring cylinder to find its mass and volume.
Floating and sinking can be explained in terms of
density
The density of a gas can be found by measuring its
mass and volume.