SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF SOLIDS AND LIQUIDS

Cuenca, J. M., Dalangin, M. J., Dela Rosa, M.L., Diaz, K.I.M, Domingo, M.A.,
Dungca, M.K.
2H Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy
University of Santo Tomas
Abstract
The experiment was done to determine the specific gravity of ordinary
solids as well as certain types of liquids through the use of Leach
Pycnometer, Mohr Westphal balance, and Baume Hydrometer.
The
researchers have determined the specific gravity of a sample solid through
the use of a pycnometer by measuring the mass of the standard liquid,
empty pycnometer and the sample. The experiment gave a result of 2.50 as
its relative density. The researchers have determined the specific gravity of
a sample liquid, firstly through the use of a leach pynometer by measuring
the mass of a liquid sample, water and empty pynometer, secondly through
the use of a Mohr-Westphal balance, and lastly, through the use of a Baume
hydrometer, which gave results to approximate value of 0.8 units.

Introduction
Specific gravity is a unit-less
expression of a ratio of density of
substance in interest relative to the
reference substance. By knowing
the density of a substance, specific
gravity can be determined. Being a
ratio of densities, specific gravity is
a dimensionless quantity. Specific
gravity varies with temperature
and
pressure;
reference
and
sample must be compared at the
same temperature and pressure or
be corrected to a standard
reference
temperature
and
pressure.
Substances
with
a
specific gravity of 1 are neutrally

buoyant in water. Those with SG

greater than 1 are denser than
water and will, disregarding surface
tension effects, sink in it. Those
with an SG less than 1 are less
dense than water and will float on
it.
In
scientific
work,
the
relationship of mass to volume is
usually expressed directly in terms
of the density (mass per unit
volume) of the substance under
study. It is in industry where
specific
gravity
finds
wide
application, often for historical
reasons.
The Specific Gravity can
expressed mathematically as:

be

A pycnometer, also called

specific gravity bottle, is a device
used to determine the density of a
liquid. A pycnometer is usually
made of glass, with a close-fitting
ground glass stopper with a
capillary tube through it, so that air
bubbles may escape from the
apparatus. This device enables a
liquid's density to be measured
accurately by reference to an
appropriate working fluid, such as
water or mercury, using an
analytical balance.
The Mohr-Westphal Balance
operates by suspending a glass
tube (with a mercury thermometer
contained within it) into a sample
of a solution of unknown density
via a thin platinum wire. The scale
relies on Archimedes' Principle of
buoyancy. To operate a MohrWestphal Balance care must be
taken to first calibrate the balance
by means of the leveling screw at
the bottom of the body. With no
weight on the arm of the balance
the two pointers must be aligned
To determine the specific
gravity of a sample solid, which is in
our case the copper powder, the
researchers first measured the mass
of the standard liquid, the mass of
empty pycnometer, the mass of
pycnometer with the standard liquid,
the mass of the pycnometer with the

before the balance can be used.

The Mohr-Westphal Balance is
incapable
of
highly
accurate
density
readings,
as
large
temperature ranges in laboratories
can affect is ability to duplicate
results, and the alignment of its
pointers is based on human sight
and therefore full of potential for
human
error.
For
extremely
accurate density readings one may
prefer to use a pycnometer
although for speed and ease of use
a Westphal can quickly provide a
very close approximation to the
true density of any liquid solution.
A Baume hydrometer is an
instrument used to measure the
density of a liquid as compared to
that of water. Hydrometers usually
consist of a calibrated glass tube
ending in a weighted glass sphere
that makes the tube stand upright
when placed in a liquid. The lower
the density of the liquid, the
deeper the tube sinks. Depending
upon
the
intended
use
hydrometers can vary in size and
will feature different types of
scales.
Procedure
sample solid, and lastly, the mass of
the pycnometer with the standard
liquid and sample solid. To determine
the relative density of the sample, the
researchers calculated the difference
of the mass of the pycnometer with
the sample solid from the mass of the
empty pycnometer divided by the

Standard Liquid

40.7
0g

Mass of empty pycnometer

33.0
0g

Mass of pycnometer +
standard liquid

73.3
0g

Mass of pycnometer +
sample
Mass of empty pycnometer
Mass of pycnomter + sample
+ standard liquid
Mass of pycnometer + water
Relative density of the
sample
Mass of pycnometer + liquid
sample

38.5
0g
40.7
77.0
0g
0g
33.0
2.50
0g

Mass of water

38.5
0g

Mass of liquid sample

77.0
0g

Specific gravity of the liquid

sample

gravity of the sample liquid by

calculating the ration between the
mass of the sample liquid and the
mass of the water.

Results and Discussion

A. Specific Gravity of Solids
Sample Solid: Copper Powder

73.3
0g
B. Specific Gravity of Liquids
Sample Liquid: 90% Ethyl
Alcohol
a. Leach Pycnometer

2.50

total value of the mass of the

pycnometer with the standard liquid
added to the mass of the pycnometer
and sample liquid subtracted to the
mass of the empty pycnometer and
mass of the pycnometer with the
standard liquid and sample solid.
To determine the specific
gravity of the sample liquid using the
Leach Pycnometer, the researchers
determined the mass of the empty
pycnometer, mass ofpycnometer and
water, mass of pycnometer with the
liquid sample, mass of water, and
lastly, the mass of the liquid sample.
With the given values above, the
researchers can determine the specific

b. Mohr-Westphal Balance
Specific Gravity of the
Liquid: 0 . 800
c. Baume Hydrometer
Specific Gravity of the liquid:
0.810

Through the use of the MohrWestphal balance, we have

determined the specific gravity of
the sample liquid, which is the 90%
ethyl alcohol. By submerging the

Westphal bulb unto the liquid itself,

through relative equilibrium, we
could identify the specific gravity.
The hangers guide the researchers
in determining the SG, the big
hanger indicates 0.1 units of sg
while the small hangers determines
0.01 unit of SG. The researchers
gathered results of 0.7 for the big
hanger, and 0.09 and 0.01 for the
small hangers. Getting the
summation of the results would
lead us to the value of the Specific
gravity, which gave the researchers
a value of 0.800.
On the other hand, the
researchers also used the Baume
Hydrometer, which is submerged to
a certain amount of liquid until the
hydrometer floats above the liquid
through buoyancy. The Baume
hydrometer gave an approximate
result of 0.810, close enough to the
previous experimental values of
0.800 and 0.79.
Conclusion
The specific gravity of certain
liquids and solids can be
determined by various laboratory
and experimental methods. In line

with this, the researchers gathered

as much data as possible by using
the different laboratory equipment
in determining the specific gravity
of substances. The researchers
accumulated precise results
through different work medium.

References
Hydrometer FAQs - H-B Instrument.
(n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2016,
from
http://www.hbinstrument.com/hydr
ometer-faqs/
Everything 2 Westphal Balance.
(n.d.) Retrieved March 10, 2016,
from
http://everything2.com/title/Westph
al+Balance
Specific Gravity (n.d.) Retrieved
March 10, 2016, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific
_gravity
Relative Density (n.d.) Retrieved
March 10, 2016, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relativ
e_density#Pycnometer