Understanding Density and Its Units

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 46 views

Understanding Density and Its Units

Density is a fundamental concept in chemistry that describes the mass of a substance per unit volume. It is an essential property that helps us understand the physical and chemical behavior of substances. In this article, we will focus on converting the density of mercury from grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm^3) to kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m^3).

The Given Density

The density of mercury is given as 13.6 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm^3). This means that 13.6 grams of mercury occupy a volume of 1 cubic centimeter.

Converting Units

To convert the density from g/cm^3 to kg/m^3, we need to perform two conversions:

Convert grams to kilograms
Convert cubic centimeters to cubic meters

Step 1: Convert Grams to Kilograms

We know that 1 kilogram (kg) is equal to 1000 grams (g). Therefore, we can convert 13.6 grams to kilograms by dividing by 1000.

13.6 \, g = \frac{13.6}{1000} \, kg = 0.0136 \, kg

Step 2: Convert Cubic Centimeters to Cubic Meters

We know that 1 cubic meter (m^3) is equal to 1000 cubic centimeters (cm^3). Therefore, we can convert 1 cubic centimeter to cubic meters by dividing by 1000.

1 \, cm^3 = \frac{1}{1000} \, m^3 = 0.001 \, m^3

Converting Density

Now that we have converted the units, we can convert the density from g/cm^3 to kg/m^3 by multiplying the converted values.

13.6 \, g/cm^3 = 0.0136 \, kg \times \frac{1}{0.001 \, m^3} = 13,600 \, kg/m^3

Conclusion

In this article, we have successfully converted the density of mercury from grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm^3) to kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m^3). We performed two conversions: grams to kilograms and cubic centimeters to cubic meters. By multiplying the converted values, we obtained the density of mercury in kg/m^3.

Key Takeaways

Density is a fundamental concept in chemistry that describes the mass of a substance per unit volume.
The density of mercury is 13.6 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm^3).
To convert density from g/cm^3 to kg/m^3, we need to perform two conversions: grams to kilograms and cubic centimeters to cubic meters.
The density of mercury in kg/m^3 is 13,600 kg/m^3.

Practice Problems

Convert the density of water from g/cm^3 to kg/m^3.
Convert the density of gold from g/cm^3 to kg/m^3.
Convert the density of copper from g/cm^3 to kg/m^3.

Answer Key

The density of water is 1 g/cm^3. To convert it to kg/m^3, we need to perform two conversions: grams to kilograms and cubic centimeters to cubic meters. $1 \, g/cm^3 = \frac{1}{1000} \, kg \times \frac{1}{0.001 \, m^3} = 1000 \, kg/m^3$
The density of gold is 19.3 g/cm^3. To convert it to kg/m^3, we need to perform two conversions: grams to kilograms and cubic centimeters to cubic meters. $19.3 \, g/cm^3 = \frac{19.3}{1000} \, kg \times \frac{1}{0.001 \, m^3} = 19,300 \, kg/m^3$
The density of copper is 8.96 g/cm^3. To convert it to kg/m^3, we need to perform two conversions: grams to kilograms and cubic centimeters to cubic meters. $8.96 \, g/cm^3 = \frac{8.96}{1000} \, kg \times \frac{1}{0.001 \, m^3} = 8,960 \, kg/m^3$$<br/>$

Frequently Asked Questions

In this article, we will address some of the most common questions related to converting density from grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm^3) to kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m^3).

Q: What is the formula for converting density from g/cm^3 to kg/m^3?

A: The formula for converting density from g/cm^3 to kg/m^3 is:

\text{Density (kg/m^3)} = \text{Density (g/cm^3)} \times \frac{1000 \, g}{1 \, kg} \times \frac{1 \, m^3}{1000 \, cm^3}

Q: How do I convert grams to kilograms?

A: To convert grams to kilograms, you can divide the number of grams by 1000.

\text{Kilograms} = \frac{\text{Grams}}{1000}

Q: How do I convert cubic centimeters to cubic meters?

A: To convert cubic centimeters to cubic meters, you can divide the number of cubic centimeters by 1000.

\text{Cubic Meters} = \frac{\text{Cubic Centimeters}}{1000}

Q: What is the density of mercury in kg/m^3?

A: The density of mercury is 13.6 g/cm^3. To convert it to kg/m^3, we need to perform two conversions: grams to kilograms and cubic centimeters to cubic meters.

13.6 \, g/cm^3 = 0.0136 \, kg \times \frac{1}{0.001 \, m^3} = 13,600 \, kg/m^3

Q: How do I convert the density of a substance from g/cm^3 to kg/m^3?

A: To convert the density of a substance from g/cm^3 to kg/m^3, you need to perform two conversions: grams to kilograms and cubic centimeters to cubic meters.

Convert grams to kilograms by dividing by 1000.
Convert cubic centimeters to cubic meters by dividing by 1000.
Multiply the converted values to obtain the density in kg/m^3.

Q: What are some common substances that have a density of 1 g/cm^3?

A: Some common substances that have a density of 1 g/cm^3 include:

Water
Ice
Ethanol
Glycerin

Q: What are some common substances that have a density of 19.3 g/cm^3?

A: Some common substances that have a density of 19.3 g/cm^3 include:

Gold
Platinum
Iridium
Osmium

Q: What are some common substances that have a density of 8.96 g/cm^3?

A: Some common substances that have a density of 8.96 g/cm^3 include:

Copper
Brass
Bronze
Aluminum

Conclusion

In this article, we have addressed some of the most common questions related to converting density from grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm^3) to kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m^3). We have provided formulas and examples to help you understand the conversion process.