Experiment 5: Relative Density
So, Francesca Vada A., Urbano, Courtney A., Yap, Justinne R.
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espa​ñ​a, Manila Philippines
Abstract
The experiment determined the density and
relative densities of various substances. In
the first activity, the density of an
aluminum cylinder was determined using
the displacement method and was found to
be 2.38g/mL with a 5.29% error. The
second activity obtained the relative
density of the bone (1.98) and compared it
to the normal value to find any
irregularities (none). The third activity
compared the densities and relative
densities of regular and diet soft drinks
(Coca-Cola). The diet soft drink had a
lower density and relative density (1.00 for
both) than the regular soft drink (1.0338
for relative density and 1.038 for density).
1. Introduction
In physics, density is defined as a
substance’s mass per unit volume.Relative
density is the ratio of the density of a
substance to the density of a given
reference material. Relative density is
sometimes called specific gravity, but the
terms are not interchangeable since
specific density usually means relative
density with respect to water.
Archimedes’ principle states that
any object, wholly or partially immersed in
a fluid, is buoyed up by a force equal to
the weight of the fluid displaced by the
object, allowing an object’s buoyancy to
be calculated. The buoyant force is simply
the upward force exhibited in the situation
above.
Archimedes’ principle implies that
an apparent loss in weight is displayed that
is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced
by the immersed part of the body; hence,
the net upward force on the object is the
difference between the buoyant force and
its weight. If this net force is positive, the
object rises; if negative, the object sinks;
and if zero, the object is neutrally
buoyant-that is, it remains in place without
either rising or sinking.
The objectives of the experiment
are the following: (1) to determine the
composition of a substance based on its
density, (2) to determine the density of a
liquid by using a pycnometer, and (3) to
determine the density of a substance by
Archimedes Principle.
2. Methodology
The experiment used the following
materials: (1) electronic gram balance, (2)
spring balance, (3) 100 ml. graduated
cylinder and (4) beaker.
In the first activity regarding
“Displacement method of Alloy” , a piece
of brass was weighed using the electronic
gram balance. Some water was placed in a
graduated cylinder and noted the initial
level of the water. The brass was placed in
the cylinder and because of
impenetrability; the brass displaced a
volume of water equal to their volume and
the new level was noted. The volume of
brass was obtained from the difference of
the two levels of water. The density was
also determined using equation 1
For the second activity entitled
“Density of a Bone”, the weight of the
bone in the air was obtained by using the aluminum cylinder was obtained by
spring balance. In a beaker with water, the computing the measured mass of the
bone was immersed and obtained its cylinder and the application of the
weight in water. Afterwards, it was tied Archimedes’ principle as seen on
with a piece of thread as it would be equation 2.
immersed in a beaker of water. The weight
of the bone had been noted down as well Equation 1: Density = mass x volume
while it was placed in a beaker with water
using the spring scale. The relative density
and the density of the bone was calculated.
And later on, there was a determination of
the normality of the bone depending on the
computed unknowns.
Relative density or specific gravity
The last activity entitled,“Regular
is a concept related to gravity. It is the
versus Diet Soft Drinks,” series of weights
ratio of the density of an object or a
involving the pycnometer were noted
substance to the density of water at a
down. The pycnometer was the first one to
specific temperature. For the second
be weighed. Following this, the
activity, the relative density and density of
pycnometer was filled with water and its
bone was used to determine whether the
weight was recorded. The weighing was
given bone has normal bone density.
repeated for the pycnometer filled with the
Relative density of the bone was computed
regular and diet soft drink. Then, the
using equation 3 wherein the Archimedes’
relative density and density of the regular
principle was applied. After which, the
and diet soft drink was calculated.
result was used in order to calculate the
density of the bone using equation 4.
3. Theory

The experiment makes use of the

definitions of the Archimedes
principle, density and relative density
in order to obtain the values needed.
The experiment also shows the
relationship of these concepts using the
equations given.
Density is defined as the object’s
In the third activity, the relative
mass per unit volume. Essentially, it
density of two soft drinks was determined
measures the “compactness” of the
with the help of a pycnometer. To compute
matter in an object. However, to gain
the density of the object, Archimedes’ for the relative density of both drinks,
equation 5 was used.
principle was used wherein it states
that the buoyant force of an object
immersed in the fluid is equal to the
weight of the fluid displaced. In order
to calculate for the density of an
object, its mass is divided by the Where RD is the relative density of the
volume as shown in equation 1. In the soft drink, W r is the weight of the
first activity, the density of the pycnometer filled with soft drink (regular
or diet), W p is the weight of the empty
pycnometer , and W water is the weight of
the pycnometer filled with water.
These equations show that the
Archimedes’ principle can e used in
obtaining the density and relative density
of objects. While, it is believed that
density specific gravity or relative density
are related due to the fact that either one
can be found as long as there is a measured
mass from a reference substance and a
given density or relative density. However,
the difference of density and relative
density is that the latter part has no unit
and it also references to the density of
water while the other one has has a unit of
(g/cc).
4. Results and Discussion
Activity 1: Displacement Method for
Alloy
Table 1. Results for Activity 1
Weight of aluminium 17.9
cylinder
Initial level of water 60mL
Final level of water 67mL
Volume of 7mL
aluminium cylinder
Density of aluminium 2.38 g/mL
Theoretical density of 2.70 g/cm​3
aluminium
Percent error 5.29%
In accordance with the
Archimedes’ Principle, the volume of
water was obtained by getting the
difference between the final volume and
the initial volume. The weight of the
aluminum cylinder was divided by the
volume obtained which gives the density
of the aluminum cylinder, which was 2.38
g/ml. The theoretical density of aluminum
cylinder is 2.70 g/cm​3 and comparing it
with the density obtained by the group, it
gives an error of 5.29%, ​which may be
caused by random errors like variation in
reading the lower meniscus of the
graduated cylinder or systematic errors
like a mis-calibrated balance which
measured the masses incorrectly.
Activity 2: Density of a Bone
Table 2. Results for Activity 2
Weight of the 61.42g
bone in air (g)
Weight of the 30.1g
bone in water (g)
Relative density of 1.96
bone
Density of bone 1.96
(g/cc)
Finding normal
Relative density is defined as the
ratio of the density of a substance to that of
a standard substance​. In the table, the
density of the bone is 1.96, same with the
relative density because it was divided by
the density of water which is 1 g/cc.
Bone density have different
classifications based on the following:
Osteoporosis < 1.35 g/cm​3
Ostopedia: 1.35g/cm​3 ​ - 1.62g/cm​3
Normal: 1.62g/cm​3 ​ - 1.98g/cm​3
Osteopetrosis: >1.98g/cm​3
Therefore, 1.96 g/cc fell within the range
of normal bone density.
Activity 3: Regular versus Diet Soft the relative density, mass, and volume of
Drinks an object. Using the Archimedes’ principle
the buoyant force of water acting upon an
object can be calculated and used in order
Weight of the 18.76g
empty pycnometer to obtain the density of different objects. It
(g) was also concluded that density can be
helpful in determining whether a bone is
Weight of the 44.39g osteoporotic, normal, or it has low bone
pycnometer filled mass. On the other hand, relative density
with water (g) and density can also show the difference
between a regular soft drink and a diet soft
Weight of 46.36g drink.
pycnometer filled
with regular soft 6. Application
drink (g)
[1]​How can you distinguish “Fool’s
Weight of 49.45g Gold” from pure gold?
pycnometer filled
with diet soft Fool’s gold is a term for the ​mineral pyrite
drink (g) or iron pyrite, an iron sulfide with the
chemical formula Fe​S​2​. This mineral's
Relative density of 1.0338
metallic luster and pale brass-yellow hue
regular soft drink
give it a superficial resemblance to gold​.
Density of regular 1.0338 Aside from several physical markers, one
soft drink (g/cc) may distinguish real gold from pyrite by
striking it against a piece flint. Pyrite
Relative density of 1.00 creates a spark while real gold produces
diet soft drink nothing. Also, pyrite is attracted to
magnets and turns magnetic when heated.
Density of diet 1.00
soft drink (g/cc) [2]​The solid samples used in the
experiment are denser than water. How
The third activity shows the will you determine the density of a solid
comparison between the density and that is less dense than water? Explain
relative density of regular soft drink from the formula that you will use.
diet soft drink. From the data gathered and
using the formula for density, it can be First, put the solid in the water.
deduced that regular soft drink which is Note how much water is displaced by the
1.0338 g/ mL is denser than that of the floating solid. Afterwards, submerge the
diet soft drink which is 1.00, close to its solid fully under the water. Note again the
actual density, which is 0.997 g/mL. This water displaced. Calculate the relative
suggests that the density of the diet soft density (RD) by dividing the density of the
drink is almost the same with that of water. solid (floating) by when it is submerged.
Since the density of water is 1.00g/cc, then
the RD is equivalent to the density of the
5. Conclusion solid itself.
The results in the experiments
performed showed that density is related to
[3]​The suitability of a person to donate
blood may be tested by placing a drop of
his blood in a saline solution of density
1.03g/cc. Is he a suitable donor if the
drop of blood sinks? Explain your
answer.
The normal blood density is
1.06g/cc. If it sinks in the saline solution,
the density will be somehow closer to
1.06g/cc. He is a suitable donor then.
7. References
[1] H. Lass. ​Vector and Tensor Analysis.
Phoenix Press, Quezon City, Philippines.
[2]MIT OpenCourseware. ​Cartesian
Coordinates and Vectors. ​Obtained July 8,
2013 from the MIT OpenCourseware site.
[3]https://depts.washington.edu/chem/facil
serv/lecturedemo/DensityofCokeandDietC
oke-UWDept.ofChemistry.html

[4]​What is the meaning of the

expression “tip of the iceberg”? Is there
a physical basis for this?

The phrase “tip of the iceberg” is used to

refer to a situation in which you or
someone else is seeing only a small part of
what is really a bigger problem. This
expression is based on the fact that
typically, around 90% of the volume of an
iceberg is underwater, and that portion's
shape can be difficult to surmise from
looking at what is visible above the surface
since the density of pure water ice is ca.
920 kg/m3, and that of seawater ca. 1025
kg/m3.

[5]​Normal relative density of urine is

from 1.015-1.030. What might be said if
during urinalysis, a specific gravity
higher than normal is obtained.

A urinalysis resulting in a urine specific

gravity higher than normal (1.00-1.030)
may indicate ​dehydration​, diarrhea​,
urinary tract/bladder infection, glucosuria​,
renal artery stenosis​, hepatorenal
syndrome​, decreased blood flow to the
kidney (especially as a result of congestive
heart failure​), and excess of antidiuretic
hormone. A specific gravity greater than
1.035 is consistent with frank dehydration.