Mass volume density, usually simply called density, is a measure of how much mass is contained within a given volume. It essentially tells you how tightly packed the matter is in an object.
Here's a breakdown:
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Mass: The amount of "stuff" or matter in an object, typically measured in grams (g) or kilograms (kg).
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Volume: The amount of space an object occupies, usually measured in cubic centimeters (cm3) or milliliters (mL) for liquids and small solids, and cubic meters (m3) for larger objects. 1 cm3 is equivalent to 1 mL.
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Density: The ratio of mass to volume. It is calculated using the formula:
Density = Mass / Volume
Common units for density are g/cm3, g/mL, or kg/m3.
In simpler terms:
Imagine you have two boxes of the same size (same volume). One box is filled with feathers, and the other is filled with rocks. The box filled with rocks will be much heavier (more mass) than the box filled with feathers. Therefore, the rocks have a higher density because they pack more mass into the same volume.
Why is density important?
Density is a fundamental property of matter and is used in various applications:
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Identifying Materials: Different materials have different densities. Knowing the density of an unknown substance can help you identify it.
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Buoyancy: Density determines whether an object will float or sink in a fluid. Objects less dense than the fluid will float, while objects more dense will sink.
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Engineering: Engineers use density data when designing structures, machines, and other products.
Example:
Let's say you have a small rock with a mass of 100 grams and a volume of 50 cm3.
To calculate its density:
Density = 100 g / 50 cm3 = 2 g/cm3
This means that for every cubic centimeter of space the rock occupies, there are 2 grams of matter packed into it.
