The quantities that can be measured are known as physical quantities

MEASUREMENT OF LENGTH
Density

The mass of an object contained in a matter per unit volume is called density

DENSITY
Density of different states of matter

Density of solids: SOLID is the state of matter that has maximum density.

DENSITY IN SOLIDS

Density of liquid : Liquid is the state of matter that has intermediate density between solid and gas

DENSITY IN LIQUIDS
Density of gas : gas is the state of matter that has least density

DENSITY IN GASES
Formula for Measuring density
Density= mass/ volume

Units of density

•Density= mass/volume

•SI unit of mass is kilogram( kg )

•SI unit of volume is cubic meter

•SI unit of density= kilogram Per cubic meter

•For small sized object , mass is expressed in grams(g) 

•And, volume is expressed in cubic centimetre

•So, units of density is gram per cubic centimetre

Relation between SI unit of density and cgs unit of density: 1 gcm-3 = 1000 kgm-3

Determination of density of regular solids:

Use a ruler to measure the length (l), width (w) and height (h) of the object. Place the object on the top pan
balance and measure its mass. Calculate the volume of the cube using l × w × h . Use the measurements to
calculate the density of the object with ρ = m V , where m is mass and V is volume.

DENSITY OF REGULAR OBJECTS

Density of irregular solid which is heavier than water: BY USING MEASURING CYLINDER

Pour some water in measuring cylinder and record the level of water from the graduated marked on its wall.
Tie the string around the stone and lower it into the cylinder gently without touching its wall, until it
completely immersed. The level of the water in the cylinder rises

MEASURING DENSITY BY MEASURING CAN

2. Eureka can : A Eureka can is a beaker with a spout near its mouth. It can be filled with any liquid upto
the spout as any excess liquid flows out of the spout. The can is filled as high as possible with water and the
object whose volume is to be determined, is tied with a thread and slowly inserted into it.

EUREKA CAN
Determination  of  density of liquid

Use of density bottle for finding density of a liquid: Density bottle is a specially designed glass bottle which
is used to determine the density of a liquid.

DENSITY BOTTLE
Relative density

The relative density of a given substance is defined as the ratio of the substance to the density of water at
4oC .

Relative density of a substance= density of substance /   density of water at 40 C

SINCE, density = mass/ volume

Why do we consider density of water at 4oC only while defining the term relative denity?

Answer: The density of water changes with change in temperature. Density of water is 1000 kg/m3 or
1g/cm3 only at 40C. that is why we take density of water at 40 C only

Units of relative density: No units

Relation between Relative density and density of substance

Relative density of a substance= density of substance/ density of water at 40 C

Density of a substance = relative density of a substance * density of water at 40 C

Since, density of water at 40 C is 1000 kg/m3 = 1 g/cm3

Density of a substance = relative density of a substance * 1000 kg/m3 = RD= 1 *g/cm3

Variation in density of an object due to temperature: When a substance is heated its volume increases
and so the density decreases. In solids, increase in volume is negligible and hence decrease in density too. In
liquids and gases, as the temperature increases, volume increases and therefore density decreases
considerably.

VARIATION OF DENSITY DUE TO CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE

Floating and sinking

When an object is placed over a liquid whose density is less than the density of the object , the object sinks
into the liquid
 SINKING
When an object is placed over a liquid whose density is more than the density of the object , the object floats
into the liquid .

FLOATATION
Principle of floatation

According to principle of floatation, a solid will sink in a liquid if its density is more than the density of the
liquid but a solid will floats on a liquid if its density is less than the density of liquid.

In terms of relative density: A solid will float on a liquid if relative density of the solid is less than relative
density of liquid. A solid will sink in a liquid if relative density of the solid is greater than relative density of
liquid.

Applications of floatation:

1. The density of ice is less than the density of water. Hence, huge masses of ice , called icebergs , float on
water.

HUGE ICE BERG FLOATS IN WATER

Density of iron is more than the density of water. So iron needle sinks in water. However, an iron ship is
designed in a such a way that it is mostly hollow from within. Thus, the volume of the ship becomes very
large as compared to its mass and hence, density become less than that of water.
SHIP FLOATS IN WATER
3. A submarine can increase or decrease its effective density as compared to density of sea
water. Submarine may float or sink on sea water.

SUBMARINE
4. A fish has bladder in her body. When it sucks air, its effective density become less and it floats over
water. When it forces the air out from the bladder, its average density become more and it sinks in water.

FISH
 5. In inverter batteries, acid battery hydrometer is used to check the density of acid solution. A hydrometer
works on the principle of floatation

HYDROMETER
 6. Lactometer is designed to measure the purity of milk by measuring its density
LACTOMETER
7. As density of balloon filled with hydrogen or helium gas is less than that the density of air , the balloon
floats in air and thus rise up

HELIUM BALLOONS→ MASS : Is the quantity of matter contained in a body.

VOLUME : is the space occupied by body.

→ Equal mass of IRON and cotton, iron will have less volume than cotton.

→ Equal volume of Iron and cotton, the mass of iron is more than mass of cotton, because
iron denser than cotton.

→ DENSITY : “Is ratio of mass of substance to volume of M kg substance”

D = MV = kgm3 The SI. unit of density is kg m-3

→ Density of a substance does not change with change in shape or size.

→ When a substance is heated it expands and volume increases. Hence density decreases.
Water has maximum density at 4°C i.e. density of water increases from 0°C to 4°C and
decreases above 4°C.

→ Volume of substance is measured by formula V = L x B x H or 43πr3or by measuring

cylinder.
→ Mass is measured by beam balance or spring balance.

→ RELATIVE DENSITY : of substance is the density compare with water i.e. How many times
the substance is DENSER than water. Since density of water is 1 gem -3, so density of a
substance in g cm-3 = relative den.c ‘ty of substance.

S.I. unit of R.D → has no units → Since it is the ratio of same quantities.

→ If a substance has density more than liquid it SINKS in the liquid and if the density of
substance is LESS than liquid it floats on liquid.

→ BUOYANT FORCE : “The force exerted by liquid acting vertically upward on a body and is
equal to the weight of liquid displaced by its immersed part.”

→ Weight of body: Acting vertically downward. This force has the tendency to sink the
body.

→ LAW OF FLOATATION : “When a body floats in a liquid, the weight of the liquid
displaced by its immersed part is equal to the total weight of the body.”
While floating wt. of floating body W = wt. of liquid displaced by its immersed part FB i.e.
Apparent wt. of floating
body is zero.

Density of body is greater than density of liquid. The body sinks.

Density of body is equal to the density of liquid. The body float where ever it is left in
liquid.

Density of body is less than density of liquid. The body rises to the surface and floats