Introduction

In this laboratory activity students will be exposed to the apparatus and the procedures to
carry out an experiment on finding the density and specific gravity for different type of liquid
(syrup ,oil and water). Mass density is defined as the mass of material per unit volume
(kg/m3). Therefore to determine density of a liquid it is necessary to determined the mass of
known volume of liquid. Specific gravity, also called relative density , of a substance may be
defined as the ration of its mass density to the mass density of water taken at atmospheric
pressure at 4°C

Basic concept

Density is sometime expressed by the dimensionless quantity specific gravity or relative

density. thus specific gravity less than one means that the substance float in the water.in
general, density can be change by changing either the pressure or the temperature. Increasing
the pressure always increase the density but there are notable exception to this
generalization.

Objectives

To determine the density and specific gravity of a liquid using the measuring beaker and
density bottle method.

Apparatus

1. Measuring cylinder
2. Vernier caliper
3. Electronic balance
4. Stopwatch
5. Beaker
6. Density bottle
7. 3 balls
8. Ruler
Procedure

1. Took the measuring cylinder 1000ml and beaker and clean it with water and wipe
with the tissue.
2. Then, the measuring cylinder 1000ml height was measured from base with the ruler.
3. After that, the beaker and density bottle was weight using the electronic balance
before put the sample( water) .
4. After weight, the 75ml water was poured into the beaker and for density bottle the
water was filled until it reached the line.
5. Then, the beaker and density bottle that was filled with the water was weight using the
electronic balance.
6. 3 balls was took weight each of the ball. By using the vernier caliper, the diameter
was measured for each ball.
7. After that, the first ball was dropped into the measuring cylinder and took the time for
the ball to reach the bottom of the cylinder measuring cylinder using the stopwatch.
8. Repeat the experiment with ball 2 and ball 3.
Result and data

Fluid properties

1. Measuring beaker method (75ml)

Water Oil Syrup
Mass of beaker, m1 (g) 44.98 56.86 45.35
Mass of beaker + liquid, 119.75 122.53 128.93
m2 (g)
Mass of liquid m3 = m2 74.77 65.67 83.58
+m1 (g)
Volume, V (m3) 7.5 x10-5 7.5 x10-5 7.5 x10-5
Density of liquid, ρ 996.93 874.67 1114.40
(kg/m3)
Specific gravity, SG 0.997 0.875 1.114

Mass of water

M3 = m2 – m1

= 119.75 -44.98

= 74.77 (g)
1 𝑘𝑔
=74.77g x = 0.07477 kg
1000𝑔

Volume of water

1𝑙 1𝑚3
75 ml x x = 7.5 x 10-5
1000𝑚𝑙 1000𝑙

Density of water
0.07477 𝑘𝑔
7.5 𝑥10−3 𝑚3

= 996.93

Specific gravity
996.93
=
1000

=0.997kgm3
 2. Density bottle method

Water Oil Syrup

Mass of beaker, m1 (g) 51.40 47.43 51.68
Mass of beaker + liquid, 150.70 138.13 166.63
m2 (g)
Mass of liquid m3 = m2 99.30 90.7 114.95
+m1 (g)
Volume, V (m3) 1x10-4 1x10-4 1x10-4
Density of liquid, ρ 993 907 1149.50
(kg/m3)
Specific gravity, SG 0.993 0.907 1.158

Mass of water

M3 = m2 – m1

= 150.70 -51.40

= 99.30 (g)
1 𝑘𝑔
=99.30g x = 0.0993kg
1000𝑔

Volume of water

1𝑙 1𝑚3
100 ml x x = 1 x 10-4
1000𝑚𝑙 1000𝑙

Density of water
0.0993kg
1 x 10−4 𝑚3

= 996.93

Specific gravity
996.93
=
1000

=0.0993kgm3
 3. Percentage error
Method Experiment Theoretical Percentage error %
Beaker 1000 997 0.3
Density bottle 1000 993 0.7

𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡−𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙
Percentage error = x 100
𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙

1000−997
= x 100
997

= 0.3
Fluid properties = viscosity

1 2 3 Average
Mass of sphere 0.00063 0.00072 0.00066 0.00067
Diameter of 0.0085 0.0090 0.0087 0.00873
sphere
Time taken 0.53 0.50 0.44 0.49
Velocity of 0.642 0.680 0.773 0.698
sphere
Volume of 3.13 x 10-7 3.81 x 10-7 3.45 x 10-7 3.46 x10 -7
sphere
Density of 2012.80 1889.76 1739.13 1880.56
sphere
Dynamic 6.23 x 10-5 5.81 x 10-5 6.98 x 10-5 6.34 x 10-5
viscosity

water oil syrup

Mass of 0.00067 0.000623 0.000617
sphere(g)
Diameter of 0.00873 0.008 0.00767
sphere(m)
Time taken(s) 0.49 1.3 0.87
Distance (m) 0.34 0.34 0.34
Velocity of 0.698 0.26 0.39
sphere (m/s)
Volume of 3.46 x10 -7 2.68 x10 -7 2.36 x10 -7
sphere(m3)
Density of liquid 997 874.67 1114.40
(kg/m3)
Density of 1880.56 2324.63 2611.56
sphere (kg/m3)
Dynamic 6.34 x 10-5 2.215 x 10-4 1.104 x10 -4
viscosity (µ)
Sample calculation

For ball no 1

Velocity = distance/time
0.34
=
0.49

= 0.698m/s
4
Volume of sphere = (𝜋)(r)3
3

4
= (𝜋)(4.365x10-3)3
3

= 3.46 x10 -7 m3

Density of sphere = mass/volume

0.00067
=
3.46 x10 −7

= 1880.56 kg/m3

𝑔𝑑 2 𝜎
Dynamic viscosity = ( − 1)
18𝑣 𝜌

9.81(0.00873)2 1880.56
= ( − 1)
18(0.698) 997

= 6.34 x 10-5
DISCUSSION

Based on this experiment that consists of finding the density, specific gravity and viscosity of
three different types of fluid, it is proven that those different fluids have the different density,
specific gravity and viscosity even when they are in same mass. In this experiment, water, oil
and syrup were used as the sample and we conduct the experiment to find the fluid properties
of these three types of fluids.

This experiment of finding the density of the fluids was carried out with two different ways
which are by using a 75 ml beaker and 100 ml density bottle to determine the density and
specific gravity of the fluids. To calculate the density of the certain fluid, the formula given is
used:

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑚2 − 𝑚1
Density, 𝜌 = =
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑

Where;

𝑚2 = mass with water

𝑚1 = mass of beaker / density bottle

While to calculate the specific gravity, the formula is given:

ρsubstance
SG =
ρwater

Where;

ρsubstance = density of substance used

ρwater = density of water

From the both method, there was no bigger different in density and specific gravity for all
samples. For our sample that is water, it show that measuring beaker method is more suitable
method compare to density water method because the results calculated for the density was
more accurate and nearest to the constant density of water. It also show in the percentage
error of both experiment and it shown that measuring beaker has less error compare to the
density bottle. However, usually the density water method often been the more accurate
method to calculate the fluid properties compare to measuring beaker method because the
density bottle has accurate volume of water at 100 ml than by just using a simple 75 ml
beaker.
There may some error occur during conducting the experiment. Firstly, the sample filled
correctly to the density bottle/measuring beaker. Students must read the reading scale
approximately to eyes to ensure the water was enough filled. Then, during weight the density
bottle/measuring beaker the electronic balance must been tare before taking data because it
will affected the data. We also must make sure there were no wind resistance during taking
weight to get more accurate data because the balance was sensitive.

For the viscosity of fluids, 1L of measuring cylinder was used by filling it with fluid and by
using a stopwatch, the bead were dropped into the measuring cylinder. Then, the time taken
for the bead to reach bottom of cylinder were recorded. Data was taken for three times to
getting average. From the data recorded, we can find out the velocity of bead when it
reached the bottom. And the velocity was used to calculate the viscosity, µ. The formula is
given as shown below:

𝑔𝒅𝟐
µ=
18𝑣
Where;
g = gravity
d = diameter of the bead
v = velocity

Based on the data, we compare to the other group that using other types of liquid. It shown
that, syrup has the highest viscosity follow by oil then water with the lowest viscosity. The
time taken for water to reach the bottom of measuring cylinder was the shortest compare to
oil and syrup. It velocity also was the highest and oil was the lowest velocity with the longer
time taken to reach the bottom of the measuring cylinder.

There are several precautions that must be noted while conducted this experiment. We must
be alert while taking the time taken of the bead to reach the bottom of the cylinder because
there is the possibility of the bead moving so fast and we cannot get the time taken.