Experiment – Measuring Density

Measuring Density of an Object with Irregular Shape

1. Prior to determining the density of an irregularly shaped solid, its mass and volume must be measured.
2. The mass may be measured using a balance or scale.
3. You can measure the volume using dimensions if the object’s shape is regular, or the water displacement technique if the object’s shape is irregular.
4. The water displacement method involves immersing the object in water and measuring the amount of water it displaces.
5. Once the mass and volume are known, the density may be calculated by dividing the mass by the volume.
   \[
   \text { density }=\frac{\text { mass }}{\text { Volume }}
   \]
6. However, it is vital to realise that the density of an irregularly shaped solid is not uniform, therefore the density you calculate is merely an average.