Experiment to measure the density of solids
and liquids
Objectives:
• To verify the density of water
• To determine the density of unknown liquids
• To determine the density of a regular solid and an irregular solid
Materials Needed:
• 100-mL (or 50 mL) cylinder
• 50-mL beaker
• ruler
• Samples of known and unknown liquids
• Samples of regular and irregular solid
• Digital weighing scale
Procedure
Part A: Density of Liquids
Activity 1: (Determine the density of pure water.)
1. Place a clean, dry and empty 50 to 100 ml beaker onto a digital
weighing scale.
2. Read and record the mass of the empty beaker in the table below.
3. Pour approximately 30 ml of the water.
4. Read and record the liquid volume in the table below.
5. Determine and record the mass of the liquid plus beaker using the
weighing scale.
6. Repeat the procedure, this time using approximately 50 ml of the
liquid.
7. Repeat the procedure, this time using approximately 70 ml of the
liquid.
8. Using your mass and volume measurements, determine the density of
the liquid for each liquid sample.
9. Calculate the average density value.
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Calculate the Density
Mass of Mass of Mass of Volume/ Density
the the water the (cm3) (gm/cm3)
empty + beaker/ water/
beaker/ (grams) (grams)
(grams)
Sample 1
Sample 2
Sample 3
AVERAGE
(Different liquid)
1. Empty and dry the beaker.
2. Record the number (or color of) of new liquid.
3. Repeat the above steps using the new liquid.
Calculate the Density
Volume Mass Density
Specimen (cm3) (grams) (gm/cm3)
Sample 1
Sample 2
Sample 3
Sample 4
Rank the liquids in order from LEAST dense to DENSEST:
Least 1.
2.
3.
Most 4.
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Activity 2: (Build a density tower in one test tube.)
1. Clean out the test tubes.
2. Build a density tower in one test tube, adding all four liquids in
the correct order. Put about one cm of each liquid in the test
tube.
3. Draw a diagram of your density tower and label each liquid.
Part B: Density of Solids
Activity 3: (Determine the density of regular Solid.)
1. Determine and record the mass of your sample using a digital
weighing scale
2. Measure the length(l) breadth(b) and height (h).
3. Using the formula V = L × B × H, determine the volume of your
sample block.
4. Calculate the density of your sample and record this value in the data
table.
Calculate the Density
length breadth height Volume Mass Density
Specimen (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm3) (grams) (gm/cm3)
Sample 1
Activity 4: (Determine the density of an object with
irregular shape.)
1. Using a 100 ml cylinder, obtain roughly 20 to 30 ml volume of an
irregular solid sample.
2. Record your sample name.
3. Determine and record the mass of your sample (make sure it’s dry).
4. Add approximately 50 ml of water to a 100 ml measuring cylinder
5. Read and record the water volume.
6. Carefully place your solid sample in the graduated cylinder with the
water. Gently agitate the graduated cylinder to eliminate trapped air
bubbles.
7. Read and record the new water volume. This is the volume of the
water and the rock sample.
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8. Calculate the volume of your sample by subtracting the initial water
volume (no rock) from the final water volume (with rock).
9. Calculate the density of your sample.
Calculate the Density
Final Initial Volume of Mass Density
volume of volume the (grams) (gm/cm3)
water of water sample
Specimen (cm3)
Sample 2
1 ml = 1 cm3
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