Calculate Density

Density indicates how much mass is in a certain volume of a body. The denser a body, the more mass it has for the same volume and the heavier it is for the same size when it is in a gravitational field.

The formula for the calculation is: density = mass / volume
ρ = m / V

Example: Under normal conditions, silicon has a density of 2.336 grams per cubic centimeter, or 2336 kilograms per cubic meter. 500 grams of silicon therefore require a space of 214 cubic centimeters.

Grams per cubic centimeter is the same as kilograms per liter. Kilograms per cubic meter is one thousand times the volume. Since one meter is 100 centimeters, one cubic meter is 100³, or one million cubic centimeters. Grams per cubic meter is therefore a million times grams per cubic centimeter, so kilograms per cubic meter is it a thousand times.

Density is a very important physical quantity that says something about the properties of substances. Very often reference is made to the density of water, which is approximately one kilogram per liter, corresponding to one ton per cubic meter. Less dense substances, colloquially called lighter ones, float on water, while those with a higher density sink. In this case, the density is an average value. For example, boats float even though their material is often denser than water. However, they contain a lot of air, which lowers the density value relevant for floating below that of water.
Factors that affect the density of materials are temperature and pressure. Increasing temperature generally lowers density, while increasing pressure can increase it. A similar but much less frequently used quantity is the specific weight, which refers to the weight per volume instead of the mass.