Density Calculator

Understanding the Density Formula

The density of a material, typically denoted using the Greek symbol ρ (rho), is defined as its mass per unit volume.

The calculation of density is quite straightforward. However, it is extremely important to pay special attention to the units used for density calculations. There are many different ways to express density, and failing to convert into the proper base units will result in an incorrect value. It is useful to carefully write out whatever values are being worked with, including units, and perform dimensional analysis to ensure that the final result has units of mass / volume.

Pressure and Temperature

Density is also affected by pressure and temperature. In the case of solids and liquids, the change in density is typically low. However, when regarding gases, density is largely affected by temperature and pressure.

• An increase in pressure decreases volume, and therefore always increases density.
• Increases in temperature tend to decrease density since the volume will generally expand.

There are exceptions however, such as water's unique property where its density actually increases as it cools between 0°C and 4°C.

Common Density Units Conversion Chart

Below is a table of common units in which density is expressed, relative to the standard SI unit of kg/m³.

Density of Common Materials

For reference, here are the densities of various well-known materials and elemental substances across the universe.