Third Year Science

Density and Flotation

 In this topic:
• What is density?
• Calculating density
• Density of:
– Regular solid
– Irregular solid
– Liquid
• Density and Flotation
These two objects are the same
volume, so why is one heavier?
 What is density?
Density: the amount of mass in a volume

It tells us how tightly matter is packed together.

 What is density?
You can make an object more dense by
decreasing the volume.
 What is density?
You can make an object more dense by
increasing the mass, but keeping the volume
the same.
 Calculating density
If 100 cm3 of a liquid has a mass of 80 g, calculate its
density.
• Mass = 80 g
• Volume = 100 cm3
• Density = Mass ÷ volume
= 80 g ÷ 100 cm3
= 0.8 gcm-3
 Calculating density
A block of metal has a length of 5 m, width of 3 m and
a height of 2 m. Its weight is 21,000 kg.
What is its density?
• Mass = 21,000 kg
• Volume = 3m x 2m x 5 m
= 30 m3
• Density = Mass ÷ volume
= 21,000 kg ÷ 30 m3
= 700 kgm-3
 Calculating density
A substance has a density of 19 gcm-3. Calculate the
mass of 8 cm3 of this substance.

• Density = 19 gcm-3
• Volume = 8 cm3
• Mass = Density x volume
= 19 gcm-3 x 8 cm3
= 152 g
 Calculating density
The density of a stone is 5 gcm-3. Calculate the volume
of the stone if it has a mass of 17 g.

• Density = 5 gcm-3
• Mass = 17 g
• Volume = Mass ÷ Density
= 17 g ÷ 5 gcm-3
= 3.4 cm3
Lab activity 22a (page 59)
To measure the density of a solid
rectangular block
 Lab activity 22b (page 60)

To measure the density of an irregular solid

Lab activity 22c (page 61)

To measure the density of a liquid

Density of different materials
How do hot What do you
air balloons think?
fly??
Because they are full
Because they are of a different gas…
full of lighter air…

Because the basket

and people are so
Because it is heated
light…
and heat rises…
How do objects float?
How do substances float?
 Flotation
• A solid will float if
it is less dense
than the liquid
• A liquid will float
on top of another
liquid if the liquid
on top is less
dense
 Chapter 32:
Density and Flotation
DONE!!