Name: _________________________
Density Measurement
Purpose: Learn how to make density measurements.
Procedure:
Part A. Density of Deionized Water
1. Measure the mass of a 150 mL beaker on a balance.
2. In a 250 mL beaker, fill it about half full with deionized water.
3. Transfer about 9 mL of deionized water from the 250 mL beaker to a 10 mL graduated cylinder
and record the actual volume.
4. Transfer all the deionized water from the 10 mL graduated cylinder to the measured 150 mL
beaker, re-weigh, and record the total mass. This is your first trial.
5. Without discarding the deionized water from the 150 mL beaker, more deionized water will
be added by repeating steps 3-4. This is your second trial.
Part B. Density of Unknown Liquid
1. Measure the mass of a 150 mL beaker on a balance.
2. Choose an unknown liquid and record its unknown number and/or letter, and transfer about
10 mL of the unknown liquid into a 50 mL graduated cylinder and record the actual volume.
3. Transfer all the unknown liquid from the 50 mL graduated cylinder to the measured 150 mL
beaker, re-weigh, and record the total mass. This is your first trial.
4. Without discarding the unknown liquid from the 150 mL beaker, more of the same unknown
liquid will be added by repeating steps 2-3. This is your second trial.
5. Discard the unknown liquid down the sink.
Part C. Density of Unknown Metal
1. Choose an unknown metal cylinder and record its unknown number and/or letter.
2. Measure the mass of the unknown metal cylinder on a balance.
3. In a 50 mL graduated cylinder, fill it about half full with deionized water and record its volume.
This is the initial volume.
4. Slightly tilt the 50 mL graduated cylinder and slowly slide the unknown metal cylinder into the
50 mL graduated cylinder.
5. Record the new volume of deionized water in the 50 mL graduated cylinder. This is the final
volume. This is also your first trial.
6. Using another unknown metal cylinder from the same unknown container, repeat steps 1-5
for your second trial.
5
Name: _________________________
Report:
Part A. Density of Deionized Water
Trial 1 Trial 2
Mass of beaker ________________ ________________
Mass of beaker + water ________________ ________________
Mass of water ________________ ________________
Volume of water ________________ ________________
Density of water ________________ ________________
Show calculation for the density of water:
Average density of water _________________
Was the density of water the same in the two trials? If not, what could have caused the difference?
Between the two trials, which density value is correct?
6
Name: _________________________
Part B. Density of Unknown Liquid
Unknown number and/or letter ________________
Trial 1 Trial 2
Mass of beaker ________________ ________________
Mass of beaker + unknown liquid ________________ ________________
Mass of unknown liquid ________________ ________________
Volume of unknown liquid ________________ ________________
Density of unknown liquid ________________ ________________
Show calculation for the density of unknown liquid:
Average density of unknown liquid _________________
7
Name: _________________________
Part C. Density of Unknown Metal Cylinder
Unknown number and/or letter ________________
Trial 1 Trial 2
Mass of unknown metal cylinder ________________ ________________
Initial volume of water ________________ ________________
Final volume of water ________________ ________________
Volume of unknown metal cylinder ________________ ________________
(by water displacement)
Density of unknown metal cylinder ________________ ________________
Show calculation for the density of unknown metal cylinder:
Average density of unknown metal cylinder _________________
Identity of unknown metal cylinder _________________
Select from the following:
Aluminum, Density = 2.70 g/cm3
Iron, Density = 7.87 g/cm3
Copper, Density = 8.96 g/cm3
From the experiment, was your unknown metal cylinder’s average density value lower, higher, or the
same as one of the given values? If not the same as the given values, explain what could have caused
your density value to be lower or higher?
