Unit of Density - Meaning, Definition, Example, Unit, Formula FAQs

Density

Density meaning: It is the mass of a material substance per unit volume. The kilogram per cubic meter unit of measurement is also used to express density. The density of air, for example, is 1.2 kilogram per cubic meter. Textbooks and handbooks list the densities of common solids, liquids, and gases. The mass of a body can be calculated from its volume or vice versa using density; the mass is equal to the volume multiplied by the density (M = Vd), while the volume is equal to the mass divided by the density (V = M/d). The weight of a body can be calculated by multiplying the mass by the acceleration of gravity, which is generally more useful than the mass. There are other tables that indicate the weight per unit volume of substances; this quantity is known by a variety of names, including weight density, specific weight, and unit weight. Also see specific gravity.

JEE Main 2025: Physics Formula | Study Materials | High Scoring Topics | Preparation Guide

JEE Main 2025: Syllabus | Sample Papers | Mock Tests | PYQs | Study Plan 100 Days

NEET 2025: Syllabus | High Scoring Topics | PYQs

This Story also Contains

1. Density
2. Density in science:
3. Density in physics:
4. Density in chemistry:
5. What is density?
6. Density example:
7. Unit of density:
8. SI unit of density
9. Formula of mass density:

Density in science:

Density definition refers to the fact that if you weigh two identical cubes constructed of different materials, they will usually not weigh the same. It also means that a vast cube of Styrofoam and a tiny cube of lead can weigh the same amount. Iron, lead, and platinum are examples of dense materials.

Also read -

Students can find the link below for Class 11 NCERT solutions for all the subjects. NCERT questions are a good source to practice for the Board exams. All the important concepts are covered with the help of NCERT questions.

• NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Physics
• NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Physics
• NCERT Solutions for All Subjects

Density in physics:

In Physics, the meaning of density of a substance or thing is a measure of how compact its mass is. This equation can be used to compute the density of an object or substance: The mass in kilogram divided by the volume in metres cubed equals the density in kilogram per meter cubed. Iron, lead, and platinum are examples of dense materials.

Density in chemistry:

A substance's density is defined as its mass per unit volume. Although the Latin letter D can also be used, the most commonly used sign for density is rho.

What is density?

The density of a material indicates how dense that material is in a particular area. The density of a material is defined as its mass per unit volume. The density of matter is a measure of how firmly stuff is packed together. It is an object's one-of-a-kind physical attribute. Archimedes, a Greek scientist, discovered the density principle. If you know the formula and are familiar with the units, calculating density is simple. Density is symbolised by the symbol ρ, which can alternatively be represented by the letter D. The density of a material is the measurement of how densely it is packed together. The mass per unit volume is how it's defined.

Symbol of density- D or ρ

Density Formula = m/V, where is the density, m is the object's mass, and V is the object's volume.

Density example:

Dense materials include iron, platinum, and lead. Dense stuff includes a variety of rocks and minerals. Dense materials are more likely to ‘feel' weighty or rigid. Sparse is the polar opposite of dense, and examples of sparse materials include glass, bamboo, aluminium, and styrofoam. Liquids have a lower density than solids, while gases have a lower density than liquids. This is because solids have closely packed particles, liquids have materials that allow particles to slide around one another, and gases have particles that are free to move around.

Unit of density:

• Although the SI unit of density is kg/m3, we use g/cm3 for solids, g/ml for liquids, and g/L for gases for convenience.
• Density is defined as the connection between a substance's mass and the volume it occupies.
• It indicates how weighty an object is at a constant volume in qualitative terms.
• Varied substances have different densities, which implies they weigh differently for the same volume.

SI unit of density

Every substance has its own density. The density of water (about 1 gram/cubic centimeter) is commonly used as the reference for estimating the density of other substances. The SI unit of density, on the other hand, is kilogram per cubic meter (kg/m^3).

Other units of density-

Other density units, such as metric tonnes and liters, are also used, despite the fact that they are not part of the SI. The following are some other units:

g/mL (gramme per milliliter)

t/m^3 (metric tonne per cubic meter)

kg/L (kilogram per liter)

g/cm^3 (gramme per cubic centimeter)

Furthermore, density is measured in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm^3) in the cgs system.

Mass density:

An object's mass density is defined as its mass per unit volume. The mass density of a substance, material, or item is a measure of how much mass (or how many particles) it has in relation to the amount of space it takes up.

It is same as density.

Also Read:

• NCERT solutions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 10 Mechanical Properties of Fluids
• NCERT Exemplar Class 11 Physics Solutions Chapter 10 Mechanical Properties of Fluids
• NCERT notes Class 11 Physics Chapter 10 Mechanical Properties of Fluids

Formula of mass density:

ρ = M/V

Where:

ρ = density of mass

M is the fluid or solid's mass.

V = the fluid or solid's volume

Application of density in real life:

Density has many uses in our daily lives, including pipe design, shipbuilding, helium balloons, weight distribution in aeroplanes, and the fact that ice floats on water.

Understanding the densities of two substances aids separation processes. Separation of oil from water, for example. When an oil tank leaks into the ocean, oil drips begin to float on the surface due to their lower density in the water.

Determining whether or not an object will float on water is another well-known application of density. The density differential between ships and submarines allows them to float and dive.

Density of water in si unit: 1000Kg/m^3

Density of silicon: 2.2390g/m^3

Density of carbon: 2.26g/m^3

Density of human being: Close to 1000kg/m^3

Also check-

• NCERT Exemplar Class 11th Physics Solutions
• NCERT Exemplar Class 12th Physics Solutions
• NCERT Exemplar Solutions for All Subjects

NCERT Physics Notes:

• NCERT Notes Class 11th Physics
• NCERT Notes Class 12th Physics
• NCERT Notes For All Subjects