Difference between revisions of "Calculate Volume and Density"

Volume is the amount of space an object occupies while density is the mass of an object per unit volume.<ref name="rf1">http://uncw.edu/chem/Courses/Reeves/OnLineLabs/scienceMajors/Density_PH.pdf</ref> You need to know the volume of an object before you can calculate its density. Calculating volume for regular objects can be done with a simple formula determined by the shape of the object. Common units for volume are cubic centimeters (cm³), cubic meters (m³), cubic inches (in³), and cubic feet (ft³). Once you have the volume, density is one more simple calculation away. Common units for density are grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³) or grams per milliliter (g/mL).  

[[Category: Physics]]

#* A '''sphere''' is a perfectly round three-dimensional object, in which every point on the surface is an equal distance from the center. In other words, a sphere is a ball-shaped object.<ref name="rf2">https://www.mathsisfun.com/definitions/sphere.html</ref>

#* A '''cone''' is a 3-dimensional solid that has a circular base and a single vertex (the point of the cone). Another way to think of this is that a cone is a special pyramid that has a circular base.<ref name="rf3">http://www.mathopenref.com/cone.html</ref>

#* A '''cube''' is a three-dimensional shape that has six identical square faces.<ref name="rf4">https://www.mathsisfun.com/definitions/cube.html</ref>

#* A '''rectangular solid''', also known as a rectangular prism, is similar to a cube in that it is a three-dimensional shape with six sides, but in this case, the sides are rectangular instead of square.<ref name="rf5">http://www.algebralab.org/lessons/lesson.aspx?file=Geometry_3Dprisms.xml</ref>

#* A '''cylinder''' is a three-dimensional shape that has two identical flat ends that are circular in shape, and a single curved side that connects them.<ref name="rf6">https://www.mathsisfun.com/definitions/cylinder.html</ref>

#* A '''pyramid''' is a three-dimensional shape with a polygon for a base, and lateral faces that taper at an apex (the point of the pyramid).<ref name="rf7">http://www.mathwords.com/p/pyramid.htm</ref> A regular pyramid is a pyramid in which the base of the pyramid is a regular polygon, meaning that all of the sides of the polygon are equal in length, and all of the angles are equal in measure.<ref name="rf8">http://www.mathwords.com/r/regular_pyramid.htm</ref>

#Calculate the volume of the object using displacement. Measuring dimensions of objects that are irregularly shaped can be difficult and lead to inaccurate measurements and calculations of volume. By measuring the amount of water displaced by an object, you can easily determine its volume without complex formulas.<ref name="rf9">http://teachertech.rice.edu/Participants/bradshaw/lessons/elements/density.html</ref>

#* When you record the starting volume of water, be sure to look at the water at eye level and record the value at the bottom of the meniscus. The meniscus is the curve that the water takes when it comes in contact with another surface.<ref name="rf10">http://water.usgs.gov/edu/meniscus.html</ref>

#Subtract the new water level from the starting water level. The amount of water the object displaces is equal to the volume of the object itself measured in cubic centimeters. Liquids are generally measured in milliliters, however, one milliliter is equal to one cubic centimeter.<ref name="rf11">http://classroom.synonym.com/ways-determine-density-2508.html</ref>

#Determine the mass of the object. The amount of matter in an object is the mass of that object.<ref name="rf9" /> It is measured directly by weighing the object on a scale and its unit is grams.