How to Compare Metal Density
Density is the ratio of a substance's mass to the amount of volume it takes up. The formula for figuring it out is density = mass / volume. The same volume of two different metals has two different masses because one of them packs more atoms into the same amount of space than the other. It is simple to compare them with the right equipment and the proper techniques.
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Instructions
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1
Gather the samples of different metals. You want the purest version of the substance with as little contamination as possible. Some metals are pure elements, such as gold, but others are alloys, like bronze. Bronze is made of copper and tin, so its properties do not match up with either of those elements.
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2
Prepare for your experiment. Clean your graduated cylinders and calibrate your balance. Pour 100 ml of water into a graduated cylinder. Make sure you measure the water from the bottom of the meniscus (or the crescent shape in the surface of the water).
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3
Measure the mass of a sample of metal on the balance and record the measurement in grams with a paper and pencil.
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4
Place the same sample in a graduated cylinder and note how many milliliters of water are displaced. Take the new measurement and subtract the 100 ml you originally put in the graduated cylinder for the volume of the sample. Record this number on the same paper. Again, make sure you measure from the bottom of the meniscus.
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5
Divide the amount of grams by the milliliters displaced. The units of the result should be in g/ml. Clean the graduated cylinder and repeat Steps 3-5 for each metal sample. Compare the results to see which metals are less dense than others.
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Tips & Warnings
If you need your results in different units than g/ml, use the University of Berlin's Unit Conversion Calculator before you calculate Step 5.
Compare your results with the densities listed on the WebElements Periodic Table of the Elements.
