Density

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The term density is the mass of a substance per unit volume. The symbol most often used for density is ρ, and sometimes the letter D can also be used. Mathematically, density is defined as mass divided by volume:

ρ = m/V

Where m = mass of the substance, V = volume.

Density is measured in g/cm3 or kg/m3.

The density of a substance is influenced by a variety of factors, such as pressure or temperature. They have little influence for most solid materials, but there's a significant effect on the density of solids and liquids.

Density is calculated depending on the type of material:

  • Homogeneous materials: The density at all regions of a homogeneous object equals its total mass divided by its total volume.
  • Heterogeneous materials: The density varies between different regions of the object. The density of heterogeneous materials is calculated by determining the densities of many small volumes around various locations of the said material.
  • Non-compact materials: Materials such as flakes, pellets, granules or powders contain voids, such as air, water or other fluids. The density of such materials is determined by multiple methods, such as pycnometer method or mathematical expressions for various geometric shapes.

List of densities

Common densities

Material Density (kg/m3) Notes
Hydrogen 0.08988 g/L At 0 °C and 101.325 kPa
Helium 0.146 At 300 K and 101.325 kPa
Aerographite 0.2 The air inside is excluded
Neon (gas) 0.9 At 0 °C and 101.325 kPa
Metallic microlattice 0.9 Idem
Aerogel 1.0 Idem
Air 1.2 Standard conditions
Oxygen (gas) 1.308 At 300 K
Fluorine (gas) 1.696 0 °C and 101.325 kPa
Argon (gas) 1.784 0 °C and 101.325 kPa
Chlorine (gas) 3.2 0 °C and 101.325 kPa
Krypton (gas) 3.749 0 °C and 101.325 kPa
Xenon (gas) 5.894 0 °C and 101.325 kPa
Radon (gas) 9.73 0 °C and 101.325 kPa
Tungsten hexafluoride (gas) 12.4 Standard conditions
Liquid hydrogen 70 At –255 °C
Styrofoam 75 Average type of styrofoam
Slush hydrogen 85 At -259 °C
Solid hydrogen 86 At <−259.14 °C
Liquid helium 147 At 4 K
Cork 240 Average type of cork
Pine 373
Lithium 535
Wood 700 Seasoned, typical
Oak 710
Acetone 790
Nitrogen (liquid) 808 At boiling point
Potassium 860
Ice 916.7 At 0 °C
Sodium 970
Silicone 993
Water 1,000 At 4 °C
Sea water 1,030
Milk 1,030 At 20 °C
Acetic acid 1,050
Skin 1,050
Human body (average) 1,062
Nylon 1,150
Oxygen (liquid) 1,155
Plastics 1,175 Approx. for PP, PETE and PVC
Neon (liquid) 1,207 At boiling point
Nitrogen (gas) 1,251 At 0 °C and 101.325 kPa)
Glycerol 1,261 Standard conditions
Argon (liquid) 1,395.4 At boiling point
Honey 1,420
Rubidium (liquid) 1,460 At melting point
Fuming nitric acid 1,500
Fluorine (liquid) 1,505 At boiling point
Rubidium 1,532 At room temperature
Sucrose 1,550
Calcium 1,550
Chlorine (liquid) 1,562.5 At boiling point
Tetrachloroethylene 1,622 Standard conditions
Magnesium 1,740
White phosphorus 1,823
Concentrated sulfuric acid 1,830
Cesium (liquid) 1,843 At melting point
Beryllium 1,850
Francium 1,870 Predicted, at room temperature
Sulfur (gamma) 1,920
Cesium 1,930 At room temperature
Sulfur (beta) 1,960
Oleum (60%) 2,000
Sulfur (alfa) 2,070
Sodium chloride 2,165
Sodium bicarbonate 2,200
Silicon 2,330
Red phosphorus 2,340
Boron 2,340
Violet phosphorus 2,360
Strontium (liquid) 2,375 At melting point
Concrete 2,400
Krypton (liquid) 2,413 At boiling point
Quartz 2,600
Strontium 2,640 At room temperature
Black phosphorus 2,690
Aluminium 2,700
Scandium (liquid) 2,800 At melting point
Xenon (liquid) 2,942 At boiling point
Scandium 2,985 At room temperature
Bromine 3,102.8 Standard conditions
Diiodomethane 3,325
Barium (liquid) 3,338 At melting point
Diamond 3,500
Barium 3,530 At room temperature
Iodoform 4,008
Yttrium (liquid) 4,240 At melting point
Carbon tetraiodide 4,320
Radon (liquid) 4,400 At boiling point
Yttrium 4,472
Titanium 4,540
Tungsten hexafluoride (solid) 4,560 At −9 °C
Selenium 4,800
Iodine 4,933
Germanium 5,323
Radium 5,500 At room temperature
Arsenic 5,727
Zirconium (liquid) 5,800 At melting point
Gallium 5,910 At room temperature
Gallium (liquid) 6,095 At melting point
Vanadium 6,100
Tellurium 6,240
Astatine 6,350 Predicted, at room temperature, ±0.15 kg/m3 error
Zirconium 6,520
Antimony 6,690
Zinc 7,000
Indium (liquid) 7,020 At melting point
Chromium 7,200
Indium 7,310 At room temperature
Tin 7,310
Manganese 7,325
Iron 7,780
Niobium 8,570
Brass 8,600
Cadmium 8,650
Einsteinium 8,840 At room temperature
Cobalt 8,900
Nickel 8,900
Copper 8,940
Polonium (alpha) 9,196
Lutetium (liquid) 9,300 At melting point
Polonium (beta) 9,398
Bismuth 9,750
Lutetium 9,841 At room temperature
Actinium 10,000 At room temperature
Molybdenum 10,220
Silver 10,500
Technertium 11,000
Thallium (liquid) 11,220 At melting point
Lead 11,340
Thorium 11,700
Thallium 11,850 At room temperature
Hafnium (liquid) 12,000 At melting point
Americium 12,000 At room temperature
Palladium 12,023
Rhodium 12,410
Ruthenium 12,450
Berkelium (beta) 13,250 At room temperature
Hafnium 13,310 At room temperature
Curium 13,510 At room temperature
Mercury 13,546
Berkelium (alpha) 14,780 At room temperature
Californium 15,100 At room temperature
Protactinium 15,370 At room temperature
Tantalum 16,600
Neptunium (gamma) 18,000 At 639 °C
Uranium 18,900
Tungsten 19,250
Gold 19,320
Neptunium (beta) 19,360 At 313 °C
Plutonium 19,840
Neptunium (alpha) 20,450 At 282 °C
Rhenium 21,020
Platinum 21,450
Iridium 22,420
Osmium 22,570
Rutherfordium 23,200 Predicted, at room temperature
Copernicium 23,700 Predicted, at room temperature
Roentgenium 28,700 Predicted, at room temperature
Dubnium 29,300 Predicted, at room temperature
Darmstadtum 34,800 Predicted, at room temperature
Seaborgium 35,000 Predicted, at room temperature
Bohrium 37,100 Predicted, at room temperature
Meitnerium 37,400 Predicted, at room temperature
Hassium 40,700 Predicted, at room temperature

Density of materials at different temperatures

Air

Temperature Density (kg/m3)
+35 1.146
+30 1.164
+25 1.184
+20 1.204
+15 1.225
+10 1.247
+5 1.269
0 1.293
-5 1.316
-10 1.342
-15 1.368
-20 1.395
-25 1.423

Water

Temperature Density (kg/m3)
+100 958.4
+80 971.8
+60 983.2
+50 988.03
+40 992.2
+30 995.6502
+25 997.0479
+22 997.7735
+20 998.2071
+15 999.1026
+10 999.7026
+4 999.9720
0 999.8395
-10 998.117
-20 993.547
-30 983.854

The values below 0 °C refer to supercooled water.

References