Experiment No.

SPECIFIC GRAVITY DETERMINATION

1.Objective(s):
This activity aims to determine the specific gravity of fluids using U-tube manometer.
2. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):
The students shall be able to:
1. Determine the specific gravity of fluids using U-tube manometer.
2. Expand the knowledge on other uses U-tube in the other experiments. Apply the techniques
and skills in using U-tube relevant to professional engineering practice.
3. Discussion:

Specific gravity of a fluid is the dimensionless ration of specific weight Y or density P of a fluid to
the specific weight Ys or density Ps of standard substance.
For liquids and solids, the standard substance is pure water at 4 C at which temperature, its
specific weight, Ys is equal to 9.81kN/m3 and Ps is equal to 1000kg/m3 are at their maximum values.
With these constants, equation 1.1 may be used to compute the specific weight and density of a
fluid given its specific gravity S. for gases, the temperature and pressure has Ys=12.7 N/m 3 and
Ps=1.29 kg/m3.
The specific gravity should not be confused with the density since these are two different
properties of a substance, the first one being dimensionless and the second having the dimension
kg/m3 or gm/m3. For example, water has specific gravity of unity and density of 1gm/m3.
4. Resources:
 U-tube Manometer
• Ruler
• Meter
• Glass funnel
• Rubber tubing
• Oil, Kerosene, Diesel
• Beaker
5. Procedure:

1. Pour a quantity of distilled water in the U-tube manometer.

2. Add a quantity of oil inside the U-tube glass manometer until it stands.
3. Measure the heights of water and oil inside the U-tube manometer.
4. Using the formula derived below, determine the unknown specific gravity of your desired
liquid. Points 1 and 2 are exposed to the atmosphere, therefore gage pressure is zero.

If fluid 1 has known specific gravity, then

P1−Pw (1.1) y l h1= y w hw (1.2)
hw
( SG ) y w hl= (1 ) y w hw (1.3)( SG )=( 1 ) (1.4)
hl

5. Repeat procedures 1 to 4 with other liquids. For heavy liquids, use mercury
as standard liquid

Data and Results:

 Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
hl ( cm) h w ( cm) hl (cm) h w ( cm) hl ( cm) h w ( cm)
Oil 7.1 6.5 12.9 11.7 14.2 13.3
Kerosene 14.4 11.5 7.1 5.4 6.5 5.0
Diesel 11.0 9.6 7.0 5.9 10.1 8.4

Computations:
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average
Oil 0.92 0.91 0.94 0.92
Kerosene 0.80 0.76 0.77 0.78
Diesel 0.87 0.84 0.83 0.85

hw 6.5 hw 11.7 h w 13.3

 Oil SG 1= = =0.92 SG 2= = =0.91 SG 3= = =0.9 4
hl 7.1 hl 12.9 hl 14.2

hw 11.5 h 5.4 h 5.0

 Kerosene SG 1= = =0.80 SG2 = w = =0.76 SG3 = w = =0.77
hl 14.4 h l 7.1 h l 6.5

SG
 Diesel 1=¿
h w 9.6
=
hw 5.9
=0.87 SG 2= =
hw 8.4
=0.84 SG 3= = =0.83 ¿
hl 11.0 h l 7.0 h l 10.1

Trial 1+ Trial 2+Trial 3

Average SG=
3
For Oil: Average SG 0.92 +0.91+0.94
oil=¿ =0.92 ¿
3

For Kerosene: Average SG kerosene=¿ 0.80+ 0.76+0.77 =0.78 ¿

3

For Diesel: Average SG diesel=¿ 0.87+0.84 +0.83 =0.85 ¿

3

Diagram:
Diagram of kerosene and water in U-tube manometer.

Diagram of diesel and water in U-tube manometer.

Diagram of oil and water in U-tube manometer.

Documentation:

GROUP PICTURE MATERIALS NEEDED IN CONDUCTING THE

EXPERIMENT

POUR A QUANTITY OF DISTILLED ADD A QUANTITY OF KEROSENE

WATER IN THE U-TUBE INSIDE THE U-TUBE GLASS
MANOMETER. MANOMETER UNTIL IT STANDS. DO
THIS ALSO FOR OIL AND DIESEL.

MEASURE THE HEIGHTS OF WATER AND THE LIQUID SUBSTANCE (IN CM) INSIDE THE U-
TUBE MANOMETER. RECORD THE DATA AND COMPUTE FOR ITS SPECIFC GRAVITY.
Observation:
 Based on the experiment we have conducted, we observed that we can determine the
specific gravity of common liquids such as oil, kerosene, and diesel through the use of U-tube
manometer. The height difference between the liquid and water indicates if the liquid will float or sink
in water. If the height of the liquid is greater than the height of the water, the liquid will therefore float.
Otherwise, the liquid will sink.

Conclusion:

Based on the data and results that we have gathered, we therefore conclude that all of the
sample liquid which are kerosene,diesel and oil, floated on water. This means that their specific
gravity is less than the specific gravity of the water, which is one. In addition to that, we observed that
kerosene has the least amount of specific gravity (0.78), while oil has the highest amount of specific
gravity (0.92).