How to Check the Density of Solid Material

Density depends on volume and mass.

Density is the term used to describe the relationship between the weight of the substance and its size. Density is a physical property of every substance, and different substances have different densities. To calculate the density of a solid material, you need to know the mass and the volume of the object. Density can be measured in a variety of units, including ounces per cubic inch, grams per centimeter and pounds per cubic foot.

Things You'll Need

• Scale
• Measuring tape
• Calculator

Instructions

1. Weigh the solid material on a scale. Call the weight "W."

2. Measure the dimensions of the solid material.

3. Calculate the volume of the solid. Multiply the length by the width and the height (for rectangular prisms). Multiply 4/3 by pi by the radius cubed for spheres. Call the volume "V."

4. Plug your values into the equation W/V to calculate the density. For example, if your solid object is 10 lbs. and has a volume of 2 cubic feet, divide 10 by 2 to get 5 lbs. per cubic foot for the density.

Tips & Warnings

• If the solid material does not have easily measurable dimensions, use a container deep enough to hold the entire solid. Fill the container with water and record the volume of water. Submerge the item and record the new volume of the water and the solid. The volume of the solid is the difference between the two volumes.

• Make sure to specify the units you are using to denote density. Five kilograms per cubic centimeter is different than 5 ounces per cubic yard.

References

• Israel Science and Technology Directory: Area and Volume Formula for Geometric Figures
• NYU: Density