The measure of the amount of mass in a given volume is density.
Density is a fundamental property of matter that describes how much "stuff" is packed into a given space. It directly relates mass and volume. A substance with high density has a large amount of mass packed into a small volume, while a substance with low density has a smaller amount of mass in the same volume.
Here's a breakdown of key aspects of density:
-
Definition: Density is defined as mass per unit volume.
-
Formula: Density (ρ) = Mass (m) / Volume (V)
-
Units: Common units for density include:
- kg/m³ (kilograms per cubic meter) - SI unit
- g/cm³ (grams per cubic centimeter)
- kg/L (kilograms per liter)
- g/mL (grams per milliliter)
-
Example: As the provided reference states, water has a density of approximately 1 kg/L. This means that one liter of water has a mass of about one kilogram.
-
Importance: Density is a crucial property in many fields, including:
- Physics: For calculations involving buoyancy, fluid dynamics, and material science.
- Chemistry: For identifying substances and determining purity.
- Engineering: For selecting materials with appropriate strength and weight.
- Everyday life: Explains why some objects float while others sink.
