Convert between various units of density, including kilograms per cubic meter, grams per cubic centimeter, pounds per cubic foot, and grams per liter.
About Density Units
Density is a measure of mass per unit of volume. It quantifies how much matter is packed into a given space. The SI unit of density is kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³).
Common Density Units
- Kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³): The SI unit of density. Water at 4°C has a density of approximately 1,000 kg/m³.
- Grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³): A common unit in laboratory settings. Numerically equivalent to specific gravity. Water at 4°C has a density of 1 g/cm³.
- Pounds per cubic foot (lb/ft³): An imperial unit commonly used in the US and UK, especially in construction and engineering.
- Grams per liter (g/L): Often used for measuring the concentration of substances in solutions, especially in chemistry and environmental science.
Specific Gravity
Specific gravity (or relative density) is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance, typically water at 4°C (1 g/cm³). Specific gravity is a dimensionless quantity.
Density Applications
Density measurements are crucial in numerous fields:
- Materials science for characterizing and developing new materials
- Geology for identifying minerals and rocks
- Engineering for material selection and structural design
- Chemistry for substance identification and purity testing
- Oceanography for studying water circulation and salinity
- Meteorology for weather prediction and air quality monitoring
- Food science for quality control and nutritional analysis
Common Material Densities
| Material | Density (kg/m³) | Density (g/cm³) |
|---|
| Air (at sea level) | ~1.225 | ~0.001225 |
| Water (4°C) | 1,000 | 1.0 |
| Ice | ~917 | ~0.917 |
| Wood (pine) | ~500 | ~0.5 |
| Concrete | ~2,400 | ~2.4 |
| Aluminum | ~2,700 | ~2.7 |
| Steel | ~7,850 | ~7.85 |
| Gold | ~19,300 | ~19.3 |
Density Formula
The basic formula for density is:
ρ = m / V
Where ρ (rho) is density, m is mass, and V is volume.
