EXPERIMENT NO.

2 DETERMINATION
OF DENSITY OF COMMON LIQUIDS

I. OBJECTIVE: To determine the experimental density of tap water, distilled

water, and household cooking oil

II. THEORY:

DENSITY

Density is defined as the mass per unit volume of a substance, and it is a

physical property of matter. A physical property can be measured without
changing the chemical identity of the substance. Since pure substances have
unique density values, measuring the density of a substance can help identify
that substance. Density is determined by dividing the mass of a substance by
its volume:

𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠
𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 =
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒

The units of density are commonly expressed as g/cm 3 for solids, g/mL for
liquids, and g/L for gases.

Density is also an intensive property of matter. This means that the value of
density is independent of the quantity of matter present. For example, the
density of a gold coin and a gold statue is the same, even though the gold statue
consists of a greater quantity of gold. This is in contrast to extensive properties,
like volume (the amount of space occupied by matter), which depend on the
quantity of matter present. The more matter present, the larger the volume.

In Part A of this lab, the mass and volume of distilled water will be measured
in order to determine the density of water. Measurements will be performed on
three samples of water to improve precision and accuracy. Mass will be
measured with an electronic balance, in grams (g), and volume will be
measured directly with a graduated cylinder, in milliliters (mL). Recall that
when measuring liquid volumes, the graduated scale must be read from the
lowest point of the curved surface of the liquid (the meniscus).
 The accuracy of the experimentally determined density of water will then be
evaluated by comparison to the true, accepted density of water.

Measuring the Volume of a

Liquid

The graduated cylinder markings are every 1 milliliter. When read from the
lowest point of the meniscus, the correct reading is 30.0 mL. The first 2 digits
of 30.0 are known exactly. The last digit of 30.0 is uncertain. Even though it is
a zero, it is significant and must be recorded.

III. APPARATUS:
 100-mL graduated cylinder or any container with a measurable
volume
 Electronic balance
 Distilled water
 Cooking oil

IV. PROCEDURE:
1. Using the electronic balance, obtain the mass of your 100-mL graduated
cylinder. Make sure it is dry before you weigh it.
2. Add 20-25 mL of tap water to the graduated cylinder. Precisely measure the
volume (v1). Then measure the combined mass (mc) using the electronic
balance.
3. Add another 20-25 mL of tap water to the graduated cylinder. Again, precisely
measure this volume, and then measure the combined mass (mc) using the
electronic balance.
4. Repeat Step 3 to obtain a third set of mass and volume measurements.
5. Repeat Steps 1-3 for distilled water and cooking oil.
6. Analysis: Subtract the mass of the empty cylinder from each combined
mass measurement to obtain three mass measurements of the liquid (m1).
Use the three sets of mass and volume measurements to calculate the
three density values of the liquids. Then take the average of these three
density values. Finally, compare your calculated average density of the 3
liquids to the true density of each liquid, and evaluate the accuracy of your
average density value by calculating the percent error.
 V. TABLE OF RESULTS

TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2 TRIAL 3

Density Density Density Average Percentage
LIQUID
(g/mL) (g/mL) (g/mL) Density Error
Mass, Volume, Mass, Volume, Mass, Volume,
m1 (g) v1 (mL) m2 (g) v2 (mL) m3 (g) v3 (mL)
TAP WATER 23.28 24 0.970 47.19 48 0.98313 73.38 74 0.99162 0.98158 1.63%
DISTILLED 22.19 24 0.92458 47.41 48 0.98771 73.34 74 0.99108 0.96779 2.93%
WATER
COOKING 21.45 24 0.89375 42.94 48 0.89458 64.67 74 0.87391 0.88741 3.54%
OIL

VI. CALCULATIONS

m1 = mc – mempty cylinder
density, ρ = m1 / v1
average density, ρaverage = (∑ ρ) /3

ρ average−true density of theliquid

Percentage Error = ×100 %
true density of theliquid

Mass of the Cylinder – 109.81 g

Trial 1
 Mass, m1 (g)
Tap Water: mc –mempty cylinder = 133.09 g – 109.81 g = 23.28 g
Distilled Water: mc –mempty cylinder = 132.00 g – 109.81 g = 22.19 g
Cooking Oil: mc –mempty cylinder = 131.26 g – 109.81 g = 21.45 g
 Volume, v1 (mL)
Tap Water: 24 mL
Distilled Water: 24 mL
Cooking Oil: 24 mL
 Density, (g/mL)
m1 23.28 g
Tap Water: ρ = = =0.970 g /mL
v1 24 mL

m1 22.19 g
Distilled Water: ρ = = =0.92458 g /mL
v1 24 mL

m1 21.45 g
Cooking Oil: ρ = = =0.89375 g /mL
v1 24 mL
Trial 2
 Mass, m2 (g)
Tap Water: mc –mempty cylinder = 157.00 g – 109.81 g = 47.19 g
Distilled Water: mc –mempty cylinder = 157.22 g – 109.81 g = 47.41 g
Cooking Oil: mc –mempty cylinder = 152.75 g – 109.81 g = 42.94 g
 Volume, v2 (mL)
 Tap Water: 48 mL
Distilled Water: 48 mL
Cooking Oil: 48 mL
 Density, (g/mL)
m2 47.19 g
Tap Water: ρ = = =0.98313 g/mL
v2 48 mL

m2 47.41 g
Distilled Water: ρ = = =0.98771 g /mL
v2 48 mL

m2 42.94 g
Cooking Oil: ρ = = =0.89458 g/mL
v2 48 mL
Trial 3
 Mass, m3 (g)
Tap Water: mc –mempty cylinder = 183.19 g – 109.81 g = 73.38 g
Distilled Water: mc –mempty cylinder = 183.15 g – 109.81 g = 73.34 g
Cooking Oil: mc –mempty cylinder = 174.48 g – 109.81 g = 64.67 g
 Volume, v3 (mL)
Tap Water: 74 mL
Distilled Water: 74 mL
Cooking Oil: 74 mL
 Density, (g/mL)
m3 73.38 g
Tap Water: ρ = = =0.99162 g/mL
v3 74 mL

m3 73.34 g
Distilled Water: ρ = = =0.99108 g /mL
v3 74 mL

m3 64.67 g
Cooking Oil: ρ = = =0.87391 g /mL
v3 74 mL

∑ρ
 Average Density: ρaverage =
3

∑ρ 0.970+0.98313+0.99162
Tap Water: ρaverage = = =0.98158 g/mL
3 3

∑ρ 0.92458+0.98771+0.99108
Distilled Water: ρaverage = = =0.96779
3 3
g/mL

∑ρ 0.89375+0.89458+0.87391
Cooking Oil: ρaverage = = =0.88741 g/mL
3 3
  Percentage Error = | true density of the liquid |
ρ average−true density of the liquid
×100

 Tap Water: |0.98158−0.997877

0.997877 |× 100=1.63 %
Distilled Water: | |×100=2.93 %
0.96779−0.997045

0.997045

Cooking Oil: | |×100=3.54 %

0.88741−0.92

0.92
VII. DISCUSSION

The first thing I did was prepare the needed apparatus

and materials to be used for the experiment. Once all the
apparatus and materials were ready, I obtained the mass of the
dry 100-mL graduated cylinder using the electronic balance. Then
I added 20–25 mL of tap water to the dry 100-mL graduated
cylinder and precisely measured its volume and mass. I added
another 20–25 mL and measured its volume and mass again. And
again, I added 20–25 mL and precisely measured its volume and
mass. I used the same procedure for the distilled water and
cooking oil. After gathering the data I needed, I proceeded to
obtain the mass measurements of the liquids (m1, m2, and m3) by
subtracting the mass of the empty cylinder from each combined
mass measurement. Using the three sets of mass and volume
measurements, I calculated the density values of the three liquids.
Finally, I compared the average density of the three liquids to the
true density of each liquid and evaluated the accuracy of the
average density value by calculating the percent error.
In my computation, the percentage error was too high, so I
needed to double check what the problem was. That was when I
knew that I mistakenly added the density of the tap water,
distilled water, and cooking oil to obtain the average density
instead of calculating them separately, affecting the percentage
error. I repeated calculating the average density and obtained the
percentage error.

VIII. CONCLUSION

IX. RECOMMENDATION
Cite any recommendation for the preparation, to prevent any errors
before, during and after the experiment.