Density Calculator

Density (ρ) equals mass (m) divided by volume (V): ρ = m/V. This fundamental equation can be rearranged to find any variable: m = ρ × V to find mass, or V = m/ρ to find volume. The SI unit for density is kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³).

Water has a density of 1000 kg/m³ (or 1 g/cm³) at 4°C, its maximum density. At 20°C (room temperature), water density is 998 kg/m³. This value is often used as a reference point - materials less dense than water float, while denser materials sink.

Common conversions: 1 g/cm³ = 1000 kg/m³ = 1 kg/L. For imperial: 1 lb/ft³ ≈ 16.02 kg/m³. The calculator automatically converts between SI (kg/m³, g/cm³) and imperial (lb/ft³, lb/in³) units, showing results in multiple formats.

Density is crucial for material selection (weight vs. strength), buoyancy calculations (will it float?), structural loading (building/vehicle weight), fluid dynamics (pipe sizing, pump selection), and quality control (detecting material purity or voids).

Most materials expand when heated, decreasing density. Water is unusual - it's most dense at 4°C and less dense when warmer or cooler. Gases are highly sensitive to temperature: air at 0°C is about 10% denser than at 30°C. Always note the reference temperature when comparing densities.

Common metal densities in kg/m³: Aluminum 2,700 | Steel 7,850 | Copper 8,960 | Lead 11,340 | Gold 19,320 | Tungsten 19,250. These values help identify materials and calculate weights for structural and shipping purposes.