Relative density

• Relative density, is the ratio of the

density of a substance to the density of a
given reference material.
• Usually, the reference material is water.
Hence, relative density is also defined as
a ratio of density of particular substance
with that of water.
• If a substance's relative density is less
than 1 then it is less dense than the
reference; if greater than 1 then it is
denser than the reference.
• If the relative density is exactly 1 then the
densities are equal; that is, equal
volumes of the two substances have the
same mass.
• If the reference material is water then a
substance with a relative density less
than 1 will float in water. For example, an
ice cube, with a relative density of about
0.91, will float.
• A substance with a relative density
greater than 1 will sink.
••  Relative density (RD) or is a
dimensionless quantity, as it is the ratio
of either densities or weights.
• = =
• where is relative density, ρsubstance is the
density of the substance being
measured, and ρwater is the density of
water.
• Remember: (By convention ρ, the Greek
letter rho, denotes density.)
 Question # 1
•Calculate
  the R.D. of aluminium
whose density is 2700 kg, the
density of water being 1000 kg.
 Question # 2

A bottle weighs 124 g when empty

and 344 g when full of water. The
same bottle weighs 289 g when
filled with oil. Find the relative
density of the oil.