The Density Formula
Understanding how "packed" matter is!
What is Density? (For Everyone!)
Have you ever wondered why a small rock is heavier than a big sponge? It's because of density! Density tells us how much "stuff" (or mass) is packed into a certain amount of space (or volume).
- An object with high density has a lot of stuff packed into a small space (like the rock).
- An object with low density has less stuff packed into the same amount of space (like the sponge).
The Density Formula
To find the density of an object, you need to know its mass and its volume. The formula is:
$$D = \frac{m}{V}$$
Let's break that down:
- D stands for Density.
- m stands for Mass (how much matter is in the object, often measured in grams or kilograms).
- V stands for Volume (how much space the object takes up, often measured in cubic centimeters or milliliters).
You can also rearrange the formula to find mass or volume if you know the density:
To find Mass: \( m = D \times V \)
To find Volume: \( V = \frac{m}{D} \)
To find Volume: \( V = \frac{m}{D} \)
Example: Calculating Density
Let's find the density of an object that has a mass of 100 grams and a volume of 20 cm³.
We use the formula: \( D = \frac{m}{V} \)
- Plug in the values: \( D = \frac{100 \text{ g}}{20 \text{ cm}^3} \)
- Divide the mass by the volume: \( D = 5 \)
So, the density of the object is 5 g/cm³ (5 grams per cubic centimeter).
Interactive Density Calculator
Enter the mass and volume below to find the density.