Density,
mass, volume
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Material
Quick Reference
Click any material to pre-fill the density field in the calculator above.
Density reference: tables & conversions.
The calculator above solves D = M / V and its two rearrangements with unit-aware arithmetic across 24 units. The reference below collects the lookup values that calculation depends on: densities of common solids, liquids at 20 °C, and gases at standard temperature and pressure, the conversion factors between metric and customary units, and the specific gravity scale that determines whether a sample floats in fresh water.
Densities of common solids at 20 °C, 1 atm
Values from the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 102nd edition, with wood ranges drawn from the USDA Wood Handbook (FPL-GTR-190). Click any material card above to pre-fill the calculator with that density.
| Material | g/cm³ | kg/m³ | lb/ft³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | 2.700 | 2700 | 168.6 |
| Brass (70/30) | 8.500 | 8500 | 530.6 |
| Concrete (typical) | 2.400 | 2400 | 149.8 |
| Copper | 8.960 | 8960 | 559.4 |
| Cork | 0.220 | 220 | 13.7 |
| Glass (soda lime) | 2.520 | 2520 | 157.3 |
| Gold | 19.320 | 19320 | 1206.1 |
| Ice (0 °C) | 0.917 | 917 | 57.2 |
| Iron (pure) | 7.874 | 7874 | 491.5 |
| Lead | 11.340 | 11340 | 707.9 |
| Magnesium | 1.738 | 1738 | 108.5 |
| Mercury (liquid) | 13.534 | 13534 | 844.9 |
| Nickel | 8.908 | 8908 | 556.1 |
| Oak (white, kiln dried) | 0.75 | 750 | 46.8 |
| Pine (eastern white) | 0.35 to 0.50 | 350 to 500 | 21.8 to 31.2 |
| Platinum | 21.450 | 21450 | 1339.0 |
| Silver | 10.490 | 10490 | 654.9 |
| Steel (mild carbon) | 7.850 | 7850 | 490.1 |
| Tin | 7.265 | 7265 | 453.5 |
| Titanium | 4.506 | 4506 | 281.3 |
| Tungsten | 19.250 | 19250 | 1201.7 |
| Zinc | 7.140 | 7140 | 445.7 |
Common liquids at 20 °C
Pure water reaches its peak density of 1000 kg/m³ at 3.98 °C, then loses about 0.02% per degree as it warms. The 20 °C row below is the standard laboratory reference.
| Liquid | g/cm³ | kg/m³ | SG (vs water at 4 °C) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acetone | 0.784 | 784 | 0.784 |
| Diesel fuel | 0.832 | 832 | 0.832 |
| Ethanol | 0.789 | 789 | 0.789 |
| Gasoline (auto) | 0.745 | 745 | 0.745 |
| Glycerin | 1.260 | 1260 | 1.260 |
| Honey (typical) | 1.420 | 1420 | 1.420 |
| Mercury | 13.534 | 13534 | 13.534 |
| Methanol | 0.792 | 792 | 0.792 |
| Milk (whole) | 1.030 | 1030 | 1.030 |
| Olive oil | 0.918 | 918 | 0.918 |
| Saltwater (ocean) | 1.025 | 1025 | 1.025 |
| Water (pure, 20 °C) | 0.998 | 998 | 0.998 |
| Water (pure, 4 °C) | 1.000 | 1000 | 1.000 |
Common gases at STP (0 °C, 1 atm)
Gas density tracks the ideal gas law: ρ = (P·M) / (R·T), where M is molar mass in kg/mol and R is 8.31446 J/(mol·K). Doubling pressure doubles density; doubling absolute temperature halves it.
| Gas | Molar mass (g/mol) | kg/m³ | g/L |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrogen (H₂) | 2.016 | 0.0899 | 0.0899 |
| Helium (He) | 4.003 | 0.1786 | 0.1786 |
| Methane (CH₄) | 16.04 | 0.7168 | 0.7168 |
| Ammonia (NH₃) | 17.03 | 0.7710 | 0.7710 |
| Neon (Ne) | 20.18 | 0.9002 | 0.9002 |
| Nitrogen (N₂) | 28.02 | 1.2506 | 1.2506 |
| Air (dry, sea level) | 28.96 | 1.2922 | 1.2922 |
| Oxygen (O₂) | 32.00 | 1.4290 | 1.4290 |
| Argon (Ar) | 39.95 | 1.7838 | 1.7838 |
| Carbon dioxide (CO₂) | 44.01 | 1.9770 | 1.9770 |
| Sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) | 146.06 | 6.5180 | 6.5180 |
Density unit conversion factors
To convert a value in the left column into the right column, multiply by the factor shown. The calculator above performs these conversions internally; the table is for hand checks and crossing between drawings or spec sheets.
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|---|---|
| g/cm³ | kg/m³ | 1000 |
| g/cm³ | kg/L | 1.000 |
| g/cm³ | lb/ft³ | 62.428 |
| g/cm³ | lb/gal (US) | 8.3454 |
| g/cm³ | lb/in³ | 0.036127 |
| g/cm³ | oz/in³ | 0.578037 |
| kg/m³ | g/cm³ | 0.001 |
| kg/m³ | lb/ft³ | 0.062428 |
| kg/m³ | slug/ft³ | 0.001940 |
| lb/ft³ | g/cm³ | 0.016018 |
| lb/ft³ | kg/m³ | 16.018 |
| lb/gal (US) | lb/gal (UK) | 1.20095 |
| lb/in³ | g/cm³ | 27.6799 |
Mass unit conversion factors
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|---|---|
| kg | g | 1000 |
| kg | mg | 1,000,000 |
| kg | lb | 2.20462 |
| kg | oz | 35.2740 |
| g | grain | 15.4324 |
| lb | g | 453.592 |
| lb | kg | 0.453592 |
| lb | oz | 16 |
| oz | g | 28.3495 |
| metric ton (t) | kg | 1000 |
| metric ton (t) | short ton (US) | 1.10231 |
| short ton (US) | kg | 907.185 |
| long ton (UK) | kg | 1016.05 |
| stone (UK) | kg | 6.35029 |
| carat | g | 0.200 |
Volume unit conversion factors
A US fluid ounce is 29.5735 mL and a UK fluid ounce is 28.4131 mL. They share a name and a symbol but resolve to different volumes; the calculator above keeps the two as separate units to prevent silent miscalculations.
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|---|---|
| m³ | L | 1000 |
| m³ | ft³ | 35.3147 |
| m³ | gal (US) | 264.172 |
| m³ | yd³ | 1.30795 |
| L | mL | 1000 |
| L | cm³ | 1000 |
| L | gal (US) | 0.264172 |
| L | gal (UK) | 0.219969 |
| L | fl oz (US) | 33.8140 |
| L | fl oz (UK) | 35.1951 |
| ft³ | in³ | 1728 |
| ft³ | gal (US) | 7.48052 |
| in³ | mL | 16.3871 |
| gal (US) | L | 3.78541 |
| gal (UK) | L | 4.54609 |
Specific gravity scale and buoyancy threshold
Specific gravity (SG) divides a substance's density by the density of pure water at 4 °C (1000 kg/m³). The result is dimensionless, which is why pycnometer measurements and hydrometer readings are usually quoted as SG rather than absolute density. The float-or-sink threshold sits at SG = 1.000. Anything below floats in fresh water; anything above sinks.
| Substance | SG | Buoyancy in fresh water |
|---|---|---|
| Hydrogen (gas) | 0.000069 | rises |
| Air (gas) | 0.001225 | rises |
| Balsa wood | 0.16 | floats |
| Cork | 0.22 | floats |
| Pine (eastern white) | 0.35 to 0.50 | floats |
| Gasoline | 0.745 | floats |
| Ice | 0.917 | floats |
| Pure water (20 °C) | 0.998 | neutral |
| Pure water (4 °C) | 1.000 | neutral |
| Seawater | 1.025 | sinks |
| Aluminum | 2.700 | sinks |
| Iron | 7.874 | sinks |
| Lead | 11.340 | sinks |
| Gold | 19.320 | sinks |
Density formula and worked example
The three forms of the relation:
D = M / V (solve for density)
M = D × V (solve for mass)
V = M / D (solve for volume)Worked example. A graduated cylinder reads 250 mL of olive oil. The combined cylinder and oil mass on a balance is 480.5 g; the empty cylinder is 251.0 g.
M_oil = 480.5 - 251.0 = 229.5 g
V_oil = 250 mL = 250 cm³
D_oil = 229.5 / 250 = 0.918 g/cm³Convert to SI: 0.918 g/cm³ × 1000 = 918 kg/m³. Convert to imperial: 0.918 × 62.428 = 57.3 lb/ft³. Compare to the liquid table above: olive oil reference is 0.918 g/cm³, agreement to three decimal places. The buoyancy indicator compares 918 kg/m³ against 1000 kg/m³ and returns “floats in water” because the sample is less dense than the reference fluid.
Standards and primary sources
| Reference | Used for |
|---|---|
| CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 102nd ed. | Solid and liquid densities at 20 °C |
| NIST WebBook (webbook.nist.gov) | Gas densities and molar masses |
| USDA Forest Products Lab, Wood Handbook (FPL-GTR-190) | Wood density ranges by species |
| ASTM D1505 / D792 | Plastic and polymer density test methods |
| ASTM D5057 | Petroleum liquid density and SG |
| BIPM SI Brochure, 9th ed. | Definition of kg, m, mol after 2019 redefinition |
| ISO 80000-4:2019 | Quantities and units for mechanics |
| Avogadro constant | 6.02214076 × 10²³ mol⁻¹ (exact) |
| Planck constant | 6.62607015 × 10⁻³⁴ J·s (exact) |
Related concepts
- Archimedes principle:Buoyant force equals weight of fluid displaced; underlies the float/sink behavior the indicator reports.
- Pycnometer measurement:A calibrated flask used to determine the density of liquids and finely divided solids by displacement.
- Thermal expansion coefficient:Liquids and solids change density with temperature; for water near 4 °C the coefficient is anomalously near zero, then turns positive.
- Ideal gas law:PV = nRT relates the four state variables for gases; combined with molar mass it gives the density values in the gas table above.
- Molar volume:At STP, one mole of any ideal gas occupies 22.414 L, which converts cleanly between mass and volume for gas-phase calculations.