Higher Physics - Measuring the Density of Air at Sea-Level Atmospheric Pressure (STP)

Harry Smith September 27, 2011

Introduction

This document describes the procedure to measure the density of air at sea-level atmospheric pressure (1.2255kg/m3 ).

Apparatus

The apparatus required and justication for use is given in Table 1: Scales Flask Bung & tubing Valve Vacuum pump Large measuring cylinder Water Rubber gloves Sensitive to 0.000001kg Rigid - will not collapse under atmospheric pressure Suitable to seal ask and pump air in and out To seal the tubing - must be able to withstand pressure Suitable to remove all air from ask Large enough to comfortably accommodate ask assembly Enough to ll measuring cylinder 3 full 4 To ensure as little water is spilled as possible

Table 1: List of Apparatus Required and Justication for Use

Procedure
1. Assemble ask, bung and tubing. 2. Open valve and ensure ask is full of air. 3. Close valve. 4. Measure the mass of the full ask and tubing. 5. Connect vacuum pump to ask and remove all the air from ask. 6. Close valve. 7. Measure the mass of the empty ask and tubing. 8. Record volume of water in 3 -full cylinder. 4 9. Submerge empty ask and tubing in water fully, ensuring that the tubing nozzle is under the surface and as little is spilled as possible (wear gloves!).

10. Open valve and allow ask to ll fully with water. 11. Close valve. 12. Remove ask (now full with water) from cylinder, ensuring that any water on the surface of the assembly is shaken back into the cylinder. 13. Record the volume of water in the cylinder - the dierence is now the volume of the ask.

Calculation

The density of air may be ascertained from the measurements taken in the procedure outlined above. Since we know density is dened as: Density = We may use populate this equation as below: Density of Air = Q.E.D. 2 (Mass of full ask from [1]) (Mass of empty ask from [7]) Volume of water removed from cylinder from [13] Mass Volume