How to determine the density of a liquid?

The density of a liquid can be determined by dividing its mass by its volume.

To determine the density of a liquid, you need to know two key pieces of information: the mass of the liquid and the volume of the liquid. The formula for density is 'density = mass/volume'. This means that you divide the mass of the liquid by its volume to find its density.

Firstly, you need to measure the mass of the liquid. This can be done using a balance or scale. It's important to remember to subtract the mass of the container holding the liquid to ensure you're only measuring the mass of the liquid itself.

Next, you need to measure the volume of the liquid. This can be done using a measuring cylinder or a pipette. Make sure to read the measurement at the bottom of the meniscus (the curve formed at the top of the liquid) for the most accurate reading.

Once you have these two measurements, you can calculate the density of the liquid. For example, if you have 200 grams of a liquid and it takes up 100 millilitres of space, you would divide 200 by 100 to get a density of 2 grams per millilitre.

Remember, the units of density will depend on the units used for mass and volume. In the example above, the units were grams for mass and millilitres for volume, so the density is in grams per millilitre. If you used kilograms and litres, the density would be in kilograms per litre.

It's also important to note that the density of a liquid can change with temperature, so it's best to perform this experiment under controlled conditions. If the temperature changes, the volume of the liquid may expand or contract, which would affect the density calculation.