Determining the Density of Solids
Background Information:
Density is a physical property of a substance that is often useful in identifying the
substance. This is because the density of a substance always remains the same at a
given temperature and pressure. Density may be thought of as how heavy an object is
for its size, or the ratio of an object’s mass to its volume.
In this investigation, you will determine the density of several objects by measuring their
mass and volume by methods that you have used in previous experiments and then
using the formula D=M/V.
Problem:
How is the density of a solid object determined?
How is mass of a solid object determined?
How is volume of a determined?
Volume of a cylinder
r
h
= 3.14 x r2 x h
(measured in cubic units)
Volume of cubic shaped object
=LxWxH
(measured in cubic units)
H
L
W
Part A: Regular Solids
Find the mass and volume of the regular solids by measuring their dimensions to the
nearest 0.1 cm and calculating their volumes with the appropriate formula. Round your
answer to the nearest 0.1 cm3 . Then, use the balance to determine their mass to the
nearest 0.1g. Calculate the density and round your answer to the nearest 0.1g/mL.
Object
Dimensions
_ cm x _cm x _cm
Volume
=
___ cm3
Mass
___ g
Density (D=M/V)
___g/cm3
Cube 1
____________
_______
______
______
Cube 2
____________
_______
______
______
Cube 5
____________
_______
______
______
Cube 7
____________
_______
______
______
Cube 9
____________
_______
______
______
Light Cube ____________
_______
______
______
Heavy Cube____________
_______
______
______
Cylinder 1 ____________
_______
______
______
Cylinder 2 ____________
_______
______
______
Cylinder 3 ____________
_______
______
______
Cylinder 4 ____________
_______
______
______
Metal Bar ____________
_______
______
______
Part B: Irregular Solids
Determine the density of marble chips and metal nuts:
Put 40-50mL of water into a 100mL graduated cylinder. Accurately record the volume of water to the
nearest 0.1mL. Obtain the mass of the graduated cylinder and water with your balance and record the
mass to the nearest 0.1g. Add 20-30 marble chips to the graduated cylinder and gently tap out any air
bubbles. Record the new volume level in the graduated cylinder to the nearest 0.1mL. Obtain the
mass of the graduated cylinder and its contents and record the mass. Calculate the density of the
marble chips to the nearest 0.1g/mL. Repeat the experiment with the metal nuts.
FYI: volume is measured in milliliters (ml) and the mass in grams (g). The density of a solid is in g/cm 3
(Note: One milliliter of liquid fits into a cube with a volume of 1 cm3. Densities of a solid are measured in g/cm3.)
For:
Marble Chips
Metal Nuts
ml
ml
________
g
________
ml
________
g
________
ml
________
g
________
1. Starting volume of water:
________
2. Mass of graduated cylinder and water:
________
3. Volume of water and objects:
________
4. Mass of graduated cylinder, water and objects:
________
5. Volume of objects: (#3 - #1)
________
6. Mass of objects: (#4 - #2)
________
g
ml
g
ml
g
7. Calculate the density of the marble chips in g/cm3 (set up and show your work here):
8. Calculate the density of the metal nuts in g/cm3 (set up and show your work here):
Conclusions:
1. How do the densities of the small cubes (light and heavy) compare?____________
__________________________________________________________________
2. How do the densities of metal cylinders compare? __________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. Are there any similarities between the large cubes and the light cube? __________
__________________________________________________________________
4. Are there any similarities between the large cubes and the heavy cube? _________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Which cube(s) could be made of the same material as the metal bar? Why?
__________ - _______________________________________________________
6. Which cylinder(s) could be made of the same material as the metal bar? Why?
__________ - _______________________________________________________
7. Could Cube #2 and the metal bar be made of the same metal? Why or why not?
______ - ___________________________________________________________
8. Determine the probable identities of the substances that comprise the 4 metal
cylinders (look at the know densities at the bottom of the lab sheet):
#1=___________ #2 = ____________ #3 = ____________ #4= ______________
9. What effect does the shape of an object have upon its density? ________________
__________________________________________________________________
10.
Based upon your data, what can you conclude about the density of an object that floats in water?
__________________________________________________________________
11. Based upon your data, the metal nuts are probably composed of what material? Why?
_____________________ - ____________________________________
___________________________________________________________
MATERIAL
Aluminum
Brass
Cobalt
Copper, Pure
Gold, Pure
Iron, wrought
Lead
Tantalum
Magnesium, Pure
Kevlar 49
Silicon carbide
Rubber
Graphite
Steel
Water
Density (g/cm3)
2.643
8.553
8.8
8.9
19.32
7.658
11.37
16.6
1.7
1.44
3.2
1.506
2.163
7.85
1.00
Known Densities