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Specific gravity refers to the ratio between the density in proportion to the density of a standard or reference. Water is usually used as a benchmark. Density, on the other hand, is measured in weight units relative to size. It's worth noting that specific gravity is a one-dimensional number with no dimensions. The ratio of mass to volume is used to calculate density, which is a specific attribute of matter. Specific gravity, often known as relative density, is the measurement of density in comparison to the density of pure water.
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Key Takeaway: Specific Gravity, Density, Scalar Quantity, Vector Quantity
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Density Definition
Density is a feature of matter that may alternatively be defined as the ratio of mass to a unit volume of a substance. It is usually expressed in grams per cubic centimeter or kilogram per cubic meter units. The mass per unit volume is used to calculate it. As a result, density is a measurement of how dense material or object is. It is a scalar quantity since it lacks direction. Its measurement is a method of determining mass in a continuous system.
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Specific Gravity Definition
Specific gravity is the measurement of density in comparison to the density of a set of standard reference materials. In most cases, the reference material is pure water. A substance with a specific gravity of less than one can also float on water. The specific gravity of a substance can be calculated using a simple ratio of the substance's density to the density of a standard substance.
The density of a substance or liquid in comparison to the density of water at a certain temperature and pressure is known as specific gravity. As a result, any change in temperature or pressure will have an impact on the density.
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Difference Between Density and Specific Gravity
| Density | Specific Gravity |
|---|---|
| The mass of a substance divided by its volume is the mass-to-volume ratio. | It's the weight of a substance divided by the weight of the same volume of water. |
| The weight and volume of the given substance must be known in order to calculate the density. | To get the specific gravity of a substance, divide its density by the density of water. |
| It is a measure of an absolute term. | It is a measure of a relative term. |
| Unit of density is Kg/m3. | Dimensionless quantity. |
| It has the SI unit. | No SI unit. |
| It can be used in both household and commercial applications. | In industry, the calculation of specific gravity is used to determine the concentration of a solution. |
Points To Remember
- Density is, in fact, only slightly less than the specific gravity in number.
- Pure water has a density of about 1 gram per cubic centimeter.
- The specific gravity of a single material can not be calculated.
- Specific gravity will change with reference but density has a fixed value.
- The density of any substance can be changed when we give external temperature to it.
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Sample Questions
Ques 1. What are some applications of specific gravity? (3 marks)
Ans. The following are some of the most common uses of specific gravity:
- By comparing the specific gravity of the gem to the patron number's high purity level, the gem's purity can be determined. This expedites the process of determining the gem's worth.
- Engineers can use the compressive strength of the soil to make judgments during construction. Specific gravity and compressibility are, in fact, inextricably linked.
- Crude oil and its refined products are often measured by volume in gallons or weight in tons. The relationship between volume and weight can be used to determine the oil's specific gravity.
Ques 2. What are the densities of water at different temperatures? (2 marks)
Ans. Water has a density of 915 kilograms per cubic meter when it is 32 degrees Fahrenheit. It has a density of 1000 kilograms per cubic meter at a temperature of 39 degrees Fahrenheit. It has a density of 971.8 kilograms per cubic meter at 176 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Ques 3. How do you calculate specific gravity and density? (2 marks)
Ans. Given that the reference substance is water, the formula for specific gravity is the object's density divided by the density of the water.
Density is calculated using the formula d = M/V, where d represents density, M is mass, and V is volume. The density of a substance is usually measured in grams per cubic centimeter.
Ques 4. What is specific gravity in concrete? (2 marks)
Ans. The specific gravity of cement is calculated by dividing the mass of cement by the mass of water in the same volume of cement. It can alternatively be described as the ratio of cement density to water density for a given volume. Cement has a specific gravity ranging from 3.1 to 3.16 g/cc.
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Ques 5. What is specific gravity and why is it important? (2 marks)
Ans. Specific gravity, which is related to density and viscosity, is an important feature of fluids. Knowing the specific gravity allows you to compare a fluid's properties to a standard, which is usually water, at a certain temperature.
Ques 6. What does density measure? How does specific gravity affect flow rate? (2 marks)
Ans. The mass and volume of all matter are the same. The mass of a thing is a measurement of how much matter it contains. It is commonly measured in grams (g) or kilograms (kg). Density is measured in grams per centimeter cube (g/cm3) or kilograms per liter (kg/l), which are mass units divided by volume.
Ques 7. How does specific gravity affect flow rate? (2 marks)
Ans. Only if the liquid's specific gravity is extremely low or extremely high will the flow differ by more than 10% from that of water. Specific gravity has a comparable effect on gasses. The specific gravity of hydrogen, for example, is 93 percent lower than that of air, but it only changes flow by 74%.
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