Specific gravity

Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance; equivalently, it is the ratio of the mass of a substance to the mass of a reference substance for the same given volume. Apparent specific gravity is the ratio of the weight of a volume of the substance to the weight of an equal volume of the reference substance. The reference substance is nearly always water at its densest (4 °C or 39.2 °F) for liquids; for gases it is air at room temperature (20 °C or 68 °F). Nonetheless, due to the categorical nature of this concept, there are numerous applications where it is utilized.

Definition

Specific gravity, also referred to as relative density, is used in a wide variety of applications. It is defined as the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance. The reference substance is typically water for liquids and air for gases. The specific gravity of a substance can be calculated using the following formula:

SG = ρ / ρ₀

where:

• SG is the specific gravity,
• ρ is the density of the substance,
• ρ₀ is the density of the reference substance.

Applications

Specific gravity has a wide range of applications including:

• Chemistry: In chemistry, specific gravity is used to determine the concentration of solutions.
• Geology: In geology, it is used in the identification of minerals.
• Industry: In various industries, it is used to determine the volume of certain materials.
• Medicine: In medicine, it is used to analyze urine samples.

Measurement

The measurement of specific gravity can be done using various methods such as the pycnometer, hydrometer, and digital density meters. The choice of method depends on the nature of the substance and the precision required.

See also

• Density
• Buoyancy
• Hydrometer
• Pycnometer

References

Specific gravity Resources
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