1. What is Specific Gravity?

Specific Gravity (SG) is a dimensionless quantity defined as the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance (typically water at 4°C). It's commonly used in science and industry to characterize materials.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the specific gravity formula:

Where:

• \( SG \) — Specific Gravity (dimensionless)
• \( Density \) — Density of the substance (kg/m³)
• \( Density_{water} \) — Density of water (typically 1000 kg/m³ at 4°C)

Explanation: The formula compares how dense a material is compared to water. Values less than 1 indicate the material is less dense than water, while values greater than 1 indicate greater density.

3. Importance of Specific Gravity

Details: Specific gravity is used in many applications including geology (mineral identification), brewing (measuring sugar content), medicine (urinalysis), and engineering (material selection).

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the density of your substance and the reference water density (default is 1000 kg/m³). Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between density and specific gravity?
A: Density is an absolute measurement (mass per unit volume), while specific gravity is a relative measurement comparing density to water.

Q2: Why is water density typically 1000 kg/m³?
A: Water reaches its maximum density at 4°C (1000 kg/m³). At other temperatures, the density changes slightly.

Q3: Can specific gravity be less than 1?
A: Yes, materials less dense than water (like most woods or oils) will have SG values less than 1.

Q4: Is specific gravity temperature dependent?
A: Yes, since density changes with temperature, specific gravity values should specify the temperature at which they were measured.

Q5: What are typical specific gravity values for common materials?
A: Aluminum ~2.7, Gold ~19.3, Gasoline ~0.72, Ice ~0.92, Milk ~1.03.