Determination of the Density of Liquids Using the

Pycnometer
AbstractThis experiment aims to determine the density of a
liquid using a pycnometer. To calibrate the pycnometer, it was
filled with water and weighed, using the weight and the density of
water at 27 degrees the volume was calculated to be 25.1038 g.
After calibration, the pycnometer was filled with the liquids NaCl
and HOAc, three trials were done for each of the liquid. Their
densities were calculated to be 1.11215 g/mL and 1.01160 g/mL
respectively. The calculated % error were 7.109% for NaCl
and 0.1604% for HOAc which are relatively small. Because
the error is small, we can say that the pycnometer is a good
instrument in measuring the density of a liquid.
I. INTRODUCTION
A free flowing-mixture of powdered ore and water is called
the pulp. The density of the pulp, or the pulp density, by
definition, is the percentage of solid, or a liquid-to-solid ratio in
a given pulp, it is also the commonly used as an indication of
specific gravity [1][2]. Pulp density is an important factor to
consider in mineral processing in that it will help determine the
percent recovery of a mineral, the final concentrate quality, the
reagent dose, floatation machine production capacity,
processing time and energy consumption. [2]
A common instrument used in measuring the pulp density is
the Marcy Scale. It is used widely since it simple to use, it only
requires a direct reading from the scale itself, use of other tables
and calculations are not necessary for this instrument, thereby
reducing the error in the reported values. The Marcy scale also
has a wide specific gravity range. The main mechanism of the
Marcy Scale is that it correlates the specific gravity of the ore
with the percentage of solids in the pulp. [3]
Another way of determining the pulp density is by directly
weighing the solid portions of the pulp. After obtaining the
weight of the solid portions, the specific gravity of the solids as
well the liquid portion will be determined. Using the formula
below, in which s is the specific gravity of the solid, d is the
specific gravity of the dry solid and I is the specific gravity of
water, the pulp density can now be calculated.
100
= density was prepared. A 1-L pulp sample was then obtained and
( )
100 ( )
The objectives of this experiment are to measure, calculate
and express the density of a given pulp by direct weighing of
the solid portions and to determine the pulp density using a
Marcy scale and/or a nomogram. Comparison of the obtained
values will also be performed.
II. METHODOLOGY
This experiment was performed in three parts. The first part
involved density measurements using the balance. A clean and
dry watch glass was placed in an analytical balance and the
balance was tared, after which, around 20 grams of the ore was
weighed out and was set aside. 25 mL of distilled water was
measured in a volumetric flask and was set aside. A 50 mL
graduated cylinder was also weighed on the analytical balance
and was tared. The ore sample was then poured into the
graduated cylinder and the mass of the ore was noted. The 25
mL distilled water was also poured in the graduated cylinder.
The ore was thoroughly mixed with the water and the final
volume of the pulp was noted. Three trials were performed.
The second part was the density measurement of a
particulate solid by the use of a pycnometer. A dry pycnometer
was weighed and was filled with a non-soluble particulate
sample until about one-third of the volume of the pycnometer
appeared to be filled. Then the pycnometer with the sample was
weighed. The pycnometer was then filled with distilled water
up to the neck and the capillary tube was inserted and it was
made sure that the tube was completely filled with distilled water.
It was made sure that no air bubbles were trapped inside the
pycnometer and the capillary tube. The exterior of the
pycnometer was washed with methanol and was wiped with a
lint-free tissue. When it was completely, dry the pycnometer was
weighed.
In the third part of the experiment, the pulp density was
determined by the use of the Marcy Scale. The Marcy Scale was
first calibrated, a density can was filled with water ad was hung
on the Marcy Scale. The needle was adjusted until it was aligned
with 1.000 of the pulp. A pulp with an unknown density, with
the same solid as the earlier parts of the experiment was prepared
and with the use of proper sampling techniques, a 1-L pulp was
obtained. The pulp-filled density can was hung on the Marcy
scale. The mass of the pulp, the specific gravity of the solid and
the pulp was read.
In the fourth part, the pulp density was determined with the
use of a top-loading balance. A pulp with an unknown pulp
was weighed using the top-loading balance. The solid settled.
After which, it was decanted and filtered with a pre-weighed
filter paper. The filter cake was dried in an oven at 110 C for one
hour. The filter cake was withdrawn, cooled in a desiccator and
weighed.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The calibration was first done. The weight of the empty
pycnometer was measured to be 21.2013 g and the mass of the
pycnometer with the distilled water were also measured and is

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summarized in Table 1. Since the temperature was measured at Trial 2 46.5987 1.01169
27 degrees celcius the density of the water is known to be
0.996512 g/mL [4]. Trial 3 46.5957 1.01157
To calculate the volume, the mass of the dry pycnometer was
subtracted from the mass of the pycnometer with distilled water Average: 1.01160
and was divided by the density of the water.
Based on the obtained, we could say that the NaCl solution
is denser than that of the 10% HOAc solution.
The theoretical values of the NaCl solution and the 10%
HOAc solution was researched and according to Perrys
Chemical Engineers Handbook [5]. Since the NaCl solution
was prepared using 40.0486 g of solid NaCl and the final
volume was 250 ml, the %m/v is 17.61% or 18%.

Table IV. Theoretical Value of the density

Density, 18%(m/v) NaCl 10% HOAc
Table I. Calibration
g/mL 1.19726 1.00998
Mass(g) Volume(mL)

Trial 1 46.2079 25.0941 The percent error for the 18%(m/v) solution and the 10%(v/v)
HOAc is 7.109% and 0.1604% respectively. The values of the
Trial 2 46.2085 25.0947 errors are relatively small, meaning that the experimental value
is close to the theoretical values. This is an indication that the
Trial 3 46.2362 25.1225 pycnometer is a good instrument in measuring the density of
liquids
Average: 25.1038

IV. CONCLUSION
After calculating the volume for the three trials, the average
was calculated and this values were used for calculating the Using the pycnometer we were able to determine the density
density of NaCl and HoAc. of NaCl solution and 10% HoAC solution. The calculated errors
To calculate the density of the NaCl Solution, the mass of were small and we could conclude that the pycnometer is a good
the dry pycnometer was subtracted from the mass of the instrument in measuring the density of a liquid. But before using
pycnometer with the NaCl solution and was divided by the mass the instrument, we should handle the pycnometer carefully,
that was obtained from the calibration. The calculated density making sure that when we use it, it is completely dry and is not
is summarized in the table below. contaminated of anything. Proper calibration of the instrument
is also very important in order to get good results.
Table II. Density of NaCl Solution
Mass(g) Density(g/mL) REFERENCES
Trial 1 49.1187 1.11208
[1] Lower, Stephen. Density and its uses. Accessed October 15,
Trial 2 49.1179 1.11205 2016 http://www.chem1.com/acad/webtext/pre/pre-2.html
[2] Manual of Weighing Applications: Density. Accessed October
Trial 3 49.1252 1.11234 15 2016
http://www.dcu.ie/sites/default/files/mechanical_engineering/pd
Average: 1.11215 fs/manuals/DensityDeterminationManual.pdf
[3] Pearson, B. Density of Liquids and Solids-Pycnometer Method
Accessed October 15, 2016
http://blog.cencophysics.com/2009/07/density-liquids-solids-
The same calculations were done for the 10% HOAC pycnometer-method/
solution and the calculated density is summarized in the table [4] Density of Water vs. Temperature Accessed October 16, 2016
below. http://jupiter.plymouth.edu/~jsduncan/courses/2012_Spring/Tec
hniques/Exams/DensityOfWater-vs-Temp.pdf
Table III. Density of 10% HOAc [5] Perry, Robert H., and Don W. Green. "Chapter 2." In Perry's
Mass(g) Density(g/mL) Chemical Engineers' Handbook, 8th ed. 2010.

Trial 1 46.5943 1.01152

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 APPENDIX

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