Density Lab
Starter
Your friend gives you a solid object that is a rectangular solid.
Explain how you could determine the density of the material.
Practice
Design an experiment to determine the density of three different
materials: A wooden block, a cylindrical solid, and water.
You have a triple beam balance, a meter stick, and a graduated cylinder
that you may use.
Questions:
1. Which of your samples would float in water, and which would sink?
Explain how you know this.
2. Calculate the density of the Earth. Show ALL your work.
( Volume of a sphere = 4/3 π r3
Earth’s Diameter: = 12,718,000 m
Mass: = 6.00 x 1024 kg )
Wood Block
Wood
Block
Trial
Length (cm)
Volume Experimental
Accepted Percent
3
3
(cm ) Density (g/cm ) Density
Error
(g/cm3)
Width Thicknes Mass
(cm)
s (cm) (grams)
1
2
3
Average
Volume = average length x average width X average Thickness
Experimental Density = average mass / volume
.500
Water
3
Experimental Density (g/cm ) Accepted
Density
(g/cm3)
Water
1.000
Trial
Volume (ml)
Mass (grams)
1
2
3
Averages
Experimental Density = average mass / average volume
Percent Error
Cylindrical Solid
Trial
Length (cm)
Diameter (cm) Mass (grams)
Volume (cm3)
Accepted
Experimental Density
Density
3
(g/cm )
(g/cm3)
1
2
3
Averages
Volume =  (average diameter/2)2 x (average Length)
Experimental Density = average mass / volume
Percent
Error
Lab Report Checklist
1. Starter
2. Data tables
3. 8 Calculations ( 2 volumes, 3 densities, 3% errors)
4. Questions (2)
5. Summary ( with objective, procedure, results, and
reasons for error.)