Density and Specific Gravity Lab

CHE 102-01
March 5, 2015

Yesenia Madrigal

Introduction: The purpose of this experiment is for students to learn how to calculate the
density of an object (in this case two metals) using the mass and volume. What we also want to
figure out is how to get the density of a liquid is by using its volume and mass. Once we have
both volume and mass we can figure out what the specific gravity and density are for that liquid.
Figuring out what density of a solid is can be very useful because it can help us identify what
kind of metal we have and it helps us in knowing how dense a specific liquid is.

Table(s):
Mass of Solid
Initial Water Level
Final Water Level
Volume of Solid
Calculating Density of Solid
Type of metal

Metal 1
56.7g
20.0mL
26.7g
6.7mL
8.46g/mL
Brass

Metal 2
18.4g
20.5mL
26.8mL
6.3mL
2.92g/mL
Aluminum

Type of liquid
Volume
Mass of liquid
Density of liquid

Liquid 1
Water
19.0mL
18.9g
.994g/mL

Liquid 2
Rubbing Alcohol
19.0mL
16.1g
.847g/mL

Calculations:

Results and Discussion:

The objective and purpose of this lab was to get students familiar
with the process that is required when wanting to get the density of an object and a liquid. When
we were looking to get the density of a solid- which were two metals- what the professor did was
that first he calculated the mass of metal 1 and of metal 2 respectively. He then went on to
measure the water level in a beaker and then measured the water level again once he had placed
the solid inside the beaker. So then, after we wrote down the two different values for the volume
of the solid, we subtracted the final value minus the initial value- in turn this gave us the volume
of the solid itself. The purpose of why we needed to these two stops prior to calculating the
density is because in order to calculate the density of a solid we need to divide the mass and
volume of the object. Finally we divided the mass of the solid by the volume of the solid and that
is how we were able to find out what the density of the solid was. And not only were we able to
figure out the density of the object but by figuring out the density of the solid we were able to
find out what type of metals we had been measuring which turned out to be aluminum and brass.
In the second part of the experiment when calculating the density of a liquid we had two
liquid to compare and they were water and rubbing alcohol. Since we wanted to figure out the
density, once more we measured the volume of the liquid and then measured the mass of the
liquid. Once we had figured out what the two necessary values were we divided mass over
volume and got the densities of the two liquids.
Upon completing this lab, one of the concepts that were reinforced was that when wanting to
figure out the volume of an object we can place it in a beaker or another measuring container and
simply calculate the initial water level and then subtract the final water level after the object has
been submerged. I had previously learned this in other science classes and even in math classes
so I was reminded again of why this process works and how easy and simple it is to calculate the
volume of a solid through using this procedure. This is something that will definitely be useful to
know and remember as I continue to take other science courses and science labs and also as I
venture to become a science educator in the near future.
Questions:
1. An object made of aluminum has a mass of 8.37g. When it was placed in a graduated
cylinder containing 20.0mL of water, the water rose to 23.1mL. Calculate the density and
specific gravity of the object.

2. What is the mass of a solution that has a density of 0.775g/mL and a volume of 50.0mL?