EXPERIMENT: Mechanics

AIM: To determine the density of a glass block

THEORY: The density of a substance is the ratio of the mass to the volume of the substance.
Density In other terms is mass per unit volume. Therefore the formula for density can be found
using the formula: Density () = Mass/ Volume. Density. If the density of an object is less than
the density of the liquid it is placed in, the object will float. However if the density of the object
is greater than that of the liquid it will wink.

VARIABLES: Controlled- glass block, measuring instruments, environmental conditions like

wind,
Manipulated:
Responding- Weight and Volume, Density

APPARATUS: Glass Block

Triple Beam Balance
Vernier calliper

METHOD:
1. A glass block was placed onto the triple beam balance to obtain its weight
2. A vernier calliper was then used to measure the height length and width of the glass
block
3. The volume of the glass block was then calculated.

DIAGRAM
Glass
block

Readings

Pointer

RESULTS:
TABLE SHOWING THE DENSITY AND THE DENSITY OF A 1 CENT COIN

Height/cm

Length/cm

Width/cm

Volume/cm3

Mass/g

Density/ g/cm-3-

1.74

11.92

6.63

137.51

351.3

2.55

CALCULATIONS:

Density of the glass block = Mass/Volume

= 351.3g/137.51 cm3
= 2.55 g/cm-3-

PRECAUTION:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The measuring instruments were checked for systematic errors.

The glass block was checked for chipping or any form of damages.
Parallax error was avoided when reading the measuring instruments.
The triple beam balance and the vernier calliper were checked for zero error.
Windows were closed before conducting the experiment.

SOURCES OF ERROR:
1. Environmental wind was present which would have affected the triple beam balance.
2. Fans were not switch off during the experiment.

DISCUSSION: The relative density was obtained using the formula Density = Mass/ Volume.
After conducting the experiment the mass and volume of a glass block was 351.3g g and 137.51
cm3 respectively. After obtaining the results the density was then further calculated and found to
be 2.55 g cm-3. From there, the relative density can also be calculated using the formula Relative
density (Pr) = Density of the substance (Ps)/ Density of water (Pw). Knowing that the density of
water is 1gcm-3, the relative density of one coin is 2.55 . Since a 1 cent coin has a higher density
than water, if placed in water the paper clip will sink. Also, oil, having a lower density than
water, floats on water. This thus means that oil has a lower density than 1gcm -3 therefore if a one

cent coin was placed in oil, the coin would be expected to sink. This experiment was successful
but could have been improved. Using a sensitive digital scale would have been more precise than
the analogue triple beam balance. This experiment could have also been conducted twice then the
average could have been found to obtain a more accurate result or to ensure that it was done
correctly the first time. After conducting this experiment it was realized that this experiment was
one of the least enjoyable ones.

CONCLUSION: Within the limits of experimental error, the density of a glass block was found
to be 2.55 g/cm3