Density

Which weighs more, a tonne of gold or a tonne of feathers?

 1 kg of lead & 1 kg of foam.

The mass of each object is the same.

Why is the foam so much larger?

The atoms in lead are closer together than in foam: it is more dense.
 Density describes how tightly packed a material is:

it describes the relationship between mass & volume.

This is a compound measure (like km/h),

because it is derived from other measures.

Mass grams
Density = grams per cm3 g/cm3
Volume cm3

kilograms
kilograms per m3 kg/m3
m3

M greater density.”
“Same volume but greater mass means ……………..

less
D V “Same mass but greater volume means …………….. density.”
 Graphite has a density of 2.3 g/cm3.
What is its density in kg/m3?

How many 1 cm3 cubes go into a 1 m3 cube? 100 × 100 × 100 = 1,000,000

1,000,000 × 2.3 g = 2,300,000 g = 2300 kg

1 cm3

2.3 g/cm3

100 cm 2300 kg/m3

100 cm
Not to scale. 100 cm
Titanium has a density of 4500 kg/m3 What is its density in g/cm3?
× 1000

4500 kg 4,500,000 g
Density = 4500 kg/m3 = = 4.5 g/cm3
1 m3 1,000,000 cm3

× 100 × 100 × 100

Aluminium has a density of 2.7 g/cm3 What is its density in kg/m3?

÷ 1000

2.7 g 0.0027 kg
Density = 2.7 g/cm3 = = 2700 kg/m3
1 cm3 0.000001 m3

÷ 100 ÷ 100 ÷ 100

DEMO Density
Find the density of this material.

30.8 g of steel

1 cm

1 cm
4 cm

30.8 g
Density = = 7.7 g/cm3
4 cm3

Mass
Density =
Volume
DEMO Density
Find the density of this material.

A 7.02 g diamond

2 cm3

7.02 g
Density = = 3.51 g/cm3
2 cm3

Mass
Density =
Volume
DEMO Density YOUR TURN
Find the density of this material. Find the density of this material.

A 7.02 g diamond 11 g of plastic (EVA)

1 cm
2 cm 3

1 cm
12 cm

7.02 g 11 g
Density = = 3.51 g/cm3 Density = = 0.92 g/cm3
2 cm3 12 cm3
(2dp)

Mass
Density =
Volume
DEMO Density YOUR TURN
Find the density of this material. Find the density of this material.

A 7.02 g diamond 77 g of magnesium

3 cm
2 cm 3

3 cm
5 cm

7.02 g 77 g
Density = = 3.51 g/cm3 Density = = 1.71 g/cm3
2 cm3 45 cm3
(2dp)

Mass
Density =
Volume
DEMO Density YOUR TURN
Find the density of this material. Find the density of this material.

A 7.02 g diamond 220 g of cobalt

2 cm3 25 cm3

7.02 g 220 g
Density = = 3.51 g/cm3 Density = = 8.8 g/cm3
2 cm3 25 cm3

Mass
Density =
Volume
DEMO Density YOUR TURN
Find the density of this material. Find the density of this material.

A 7.02 g diamond 3087 kg of sea water

2 cm3
3 m3

7.02 g 3087 kg
Density = = 3.51 g/cm3 Density = = 1029 kg/m3
2 cm3 3 m3

Mass
Density =
Volume
Osmium is the densest naturally occurring element.
1 cm3

23 g/cm3

What is the mass of each osmium cuboid?

2 cm3 4 cm3

Mass = 46 g Mass = 92 g

Given density & volume, how do we calculate mass?

Density × Volume
 Concrete has a density of 2.5 g/cm3
1 cm3
What is the volume of each concrete cuboid?

2.5 g/cm3 8 cm3

4 cm3

20 g

10 g

Given mass & density, how do we calculate volume?

Mass
Volume =
Density
 How can we complete the table for these two materials?

Density Mass Volume

D×V=

2.3 g/cm3 920 g 400 cm3

Carbon
M÷D=
2.3 g/cm3 250 g 108.7 cm3

M÷D=
0.54 g/cm3 20 g 37.0 cm3

Pine Wood
D×V=

0.54 g/cm3 351 g 650 cm3

This is 8 cm3 of zinc. This is 70 g piece of calcium.
Zinc has a density of 7.1 g/cm3 Calcium has a density of 1.55 g/cm3
What is the mass of the cube? What is the volume of the piece?

= 56.8 g
= 45.2 cm3

Mass (× Volume)
Density =
Volume
(÷ Density)
Density × Volume = Mass
(× Volume)

Mass
Volume =
(÷ Density) Density
 Complete the table.

Material Density Mass Volume

Silver 10.5 g/cm3 420 g 40 cm3

Nickel 8.9 g/cm3 1.335 kg 150 cm3

Iron 7.8 g/cm3 2.340 kg 300 cm3

Marshmallow 0.5 g/cm3 211 g 422 cm3

Soda 1.05 g/cm3 1.05 kg 1000 cm3

Beech wood 0.8 kg/m3 4.32 kg 5.4 m3

Bronze 8.7 kg/m3 4.35 kg 0.5 m3

Chalk 2.7 kg/m3 11.34 g 4.2 cm3

Glass 2.5 g/cm3 530 g 212 cm3

Mass M
Density =
Volume D V
An alloy is made a metal is combined with another element, usually by melting.

Brass is made from copper & zinc.

Copper Zinc
603 g 301 g

67 cm3 43 cm3

9 g/cm3 7 g/cm3

That is the total weight of the alloy? 603 g + 301 g = 904 g

That is the total volume of the alloy? 67 cm3 + 43 cm3 = 110 cm3

That is the total density of the alloy? Between 9 g/cm3 & 7 g/cm3

Why is the density

8.2 g/cm3
closer in value to copper?
DEMO Density: Mixing

Some bronze is made with

540 g of copper & 140 g of tin.
A B
The density of copper = 9 g/cm3
The density of tin = 7 g/cm3

What is the density of the bronze?

Density Mass Volume

A 9 g/cm3 540 g 60 cm3

B 7 g/cm3 140 g 20 cm3

Total 8.5 g/cm3 680 g 80 cm3

DEMO Density: Mixing

Some stainless steel is made with

560 g of iron & 420 g of chromium.
A B
The density of iron = 8 g/cm3
The density of chromium = 7 g/cm3

What is the density of the stainless steel?

Density Mass Volume

A 8 g/cm3 560 g 70 cm3

B 7 g/cm3 420 g 60 cm3

Total 7.5 g/cm3 980 g 130 cm3

DEMO Density: Mixing YOUR TURN

Some stainless steel is made with Some sterling silver is made with
560 g of iron & 420 g of chromium. 900 g of silver & 90 g of copper.
A B A B
The density of iron = 8 g/cm3 The density of silver = 10 g/cm3
The density of chromium = 7 g/cm3 The density of copper = 9 g/cm3

What is the density of the stainless steel? What is the density of the sterling silver ?

Density Mass Volume Density Mass Volume

A 8 g/cm3 560 g 70 cm3 A 10 g/cm3 900 g 90 cm3

B 7 g/cm3 420 g 60 cm3 B 9 g/cm3 90 g 10 cm3

Total 7.5 g/cm3 980 g 130 cm3 Total 9.9 g/cm3 990 g 100 cm3
DEMO Density: Mixing YOUR TURN

Some stainless steel is made with Some white gold is made with
560 g of iron & 420 g of chromium. 840 g of gold & 300 g of palladium.
A B A B
The density of iron = 8 g/cm3 The density of gold = 20 g/cm3
The density of chromium = 7 g/cm3 The density of palladium = 12 g/cm3

What is the density of the stainless steel? What is the density of the white gold ?

Density Mass Volume Density Mass Volume

A 8 g/cm3 560 g 70 cm3 A 20 g/cm3 840 g 42 cm3

B 7 g/cm3 420 g 60 cm3 B 12 g/cm3 300 g 25 cm3

Total 7.5 g/cm3 980 g 130 cm3 Total 17.0 g/cm3 1140 g 67 cm3
DEMO Density: Mixing YOUR TURN

Some stainless steel is made with A ‘float’ is made with

560 g of iron & 420 g of chromium. 100 g of ice cream & 396 g of soda.
A B A B
The density of iron = 8 g/cm3 The density of ice cream = 0.5 g/cm3
The density of chromium = 7 g/cm3 The density of soda = 1.1 g/cm3

What is the density of the stainless steel? What is the density of the float?

Density Mass Volume Density Mass Volume

A 8 g/cm3 560 g 70 cm3 A 0.5 g/cm3 100 g 200 cm3

B 7 g/cm3 420 g 60 cm3 B 1.1 g/cm3 396 g 360 cm3

Total 7.5 g/cm3 980 g 130 cm3 Total 0.89 g/cm3 496 g 560 cm3

Is the density of the float uniform?

 Use the tables to find the density of each mixture.
Give your answers to an appropriate degree of accuracy.

Density Mass Volume Density Mass Volume

Juice
Copper 9 g/cm3 729 g 81 cm3 Concentrate 1.2 g/cm3 216 g 180 cm3

Nickel 8.5 g/cm3 221 g 26 cm3 Water 1 g/cm3 2 kg 2000 cm3

Copper-
Nickel 8.9 g/cm3 950 g 107 cm3 Squash 1.02 g/cm3 2216 g 2180 cm3

Density Mass Volume Density Mass Volume

Silica 2.5 g/cm3 500 g 200 cm3 Steel 8.2 g/cm3 287 g 35 cm3

Limestone 1.8 g/cm3 216 g 120 cm3 Vibranium 1.8 g/cm3 0.54 kg 300 cm3

Vibranium
Fibreglass 2.2 g/cm3 716 g 320 cm3 Alloy 2.5 g/cm3 827 g 335 cm3
GCSE Edexcel Higher: November 2017 Paper 3, Q3

1 A silver plate has a mass of 11.5 kg.

The density of silver is 17.4 g/cm 3 M
Work out the volume of the silver plate.
D V
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

Same Units: grams 11.5 kg = 11500 g

Volume = = 660.9195402
3sf
661 cm3
(Total for Question 1 is 3 marks)
GCSE Edexcel Higher: June 2017 Paper 3, Q6

1 The density of orange juice is 1.05 grams per cm 3.

The density of syrup is 1.4 grams per cm 3. M
The density of carbonated water is 0.99 grams per cm 3.
D V
25cm3 of orange juice are mixed with 15cm 3 of syrup and
280cm3 of carbonated water to make a drink with volume 320cm 3.

Work out the density of the drink.

Give your answer to 2 decimal places.

Orange Syrup Water

Volume 25 15 280

Density 1.05 1.4 0.99

25 x 1.05 15 x 1.3 280 x 0.99

Mass = 26.25 = 21 = 277.2

Total Mass = 26.25 + 21 + 277.2 = 324.45

Total Volume = 320

Density = = 1.01390625

Round to 2 dp 1.01 g/cm3

(Total for Question 1 is 4 marks)
GCSE Edexcel Higher: June 2018 Paper 2, Q21
1 Joanne is trying to find the density, in g/cm 3 , of a block of metal.
The block of wood is in the shape of a cuboid.

She measures
M
the length as 11.4 cm, correct to the nearest mm
the width as 18.0 cm, correct to the nearest mm D V
the height as 15.5 cm, correct to the nearest mm

She measures the mass as 2760 g, correct to the nearest 5 g.

By considering bounds, work out the density of the wood.

Give your answer to a suitable degree of accuracy.
You must show all your working and give a reason for your final answer.
11.35 < Length ≤ 11.45
17.95 < Width ≤ 18.05
15.45 < Height ≤ 15.55
Max. Volume = 11.45 × 18.05 × 15.55
= 3213.7….
Min. Volume = 11.35 × 17.95 × 15.45
= 3147.6…
2757.5 < Mass ≤ 2762.5
= 0.877… g/cm3

= 0.858.. g/cm3

Density = 0.9 g/cm3 (1dp)

(Total for Question 1 is 5 marks)