Density Calculator: Calculate Density, Mass & Volume Using ρ = m/V

  • Adam
  • November 5, 2025

Free density calculator to find mass, volume, or density with unit conversion. Includes reference densities for 15+ common materials and temperature/pressure effects.

Density Calculator

Calculate Density, Mass, or Volume Using ρ = m/V

📏 Pro Tips for Density Calculations: Provide any two values to calculate the third. Pay attention to units - ensure consistency throughout calculation. Temperature and pressure affect density significantly. For gases, specify conditions. Use compatible units between input and output. Density reference: water = 1000 kg/m³ or 1 g/cm³.

Calculate Density from Mass and Volume

Formula:
ρ = m / V

ρ (rho) = Density
m = Mass
V = Volume
Calculation Method:
  • Enter mass in any unit (kg, g, lb, oz, etc.)
  • Enter volume in any unit (m³, cm³, L, ft³, etc.)
  • Calculator automatically converts to your chosen density unit
  • Result includes SI conversion and comparison to common materials
✅ Density Calculation Results:

Calculate Mass from Density and Volume

Formula:
m = ρ × V

m = Mass
ρ (rho) = Density
V = Volume
✅ Mass Calculation Results:

Calculate Volume from Density and Mass

Formula:
V = m / ρ

V = Volume
m = Mass
ρ (rho) = Density
✅ Volume Calculation Results:

Density of Common Materials Reference

Material Density (kg/m³) g/cm³ Category Notes
Air (at sea level) 1.2 0.0012 Gas Varies with temperature, pressure
Water (4°C) 1000 1.0 Liquid Reference standard density
Oil (typical) 920 0.92 Liquid Less dense than water, floats
Cork 240 0.24 Solid Very light, floats easily
Wood (pine) 500 0.50 Solid Varies by type (400-1200 kg/m³)
Concrete 2400 2.4 Composite Durable building material
Glass 2500 2.5 Solid Varies by composition
Aluminum 2700 2.7 Metal Light metal, used in aerospace
Iron 7874 7.87 Metal Common structural metal
Copper 8960 8.96 Metal Excellent conductor, valuable
Lead 11340 11.34 Metal Very dense, toxic
Gold 19300 19.3 Metal Precious metal, very dense
Mercury 13546 13.55 Liquid metal Only liquid metal at room temp
The Earth 5515 5.5 Planet Average density of entire planet
📚 Understanding Density
Definition:

Density is mass per unit volume, typically denoted by Greek letter ρ (rho). Fundamental property describing how much matter is packed into a given space. Intensive property: doesn't depend on amount of material. Example: gold and lead same density whether 1 gram or 1000 grams.

Key Concepts:
  • Intensive property: Doesn't change with quantity (1 kg or 10 kg of iron: same density)
  • Material characteristic: Each pure substance has unique density
  • Temperature dependent: Usually decreases with temperature (volume expands)
  • Pressure dependent: Increases with pressure (volume compressed)
  • Float/sink indicator: Denser than water (>1 g/cm³) sinks; less dense floats
Common Density Ranges:
  • Gases: 0.0001 - 10 kg/m³ (hydrogen to chlorine)
  • Liquids: 600 - 13600 kg/m³ (oil to mercury)
  • Solids: 200 - 22600 kg/m³ (cork to platinum)
  • Reference: Water = 1000 kg/m³ = 1 g/cm³ = standard baseline
🌡️ Effects of Temperature & Pressure
Temperature Effects:

Solids & Liquids: Slight density change with temperature. Density generally decreases with increasing temperature (thermal expansion). Iron: 7874 kg/m³ at 0°C → 7750 kg/m³ at 500°C. Gases: Density highly sensitive to temperature. Using ideal gas law: ρ ∝ 1/T. Doubling absolute temperature halves density at constant pressure.

Pressure Effects:

Solids & Liquids: Relatively incompressible. Density increases slightly with pressure. Water: minimal change (0.5% increase at 1000 atm). Gases: Highly compressible. Density proportional to pressure at constant temperature. Using ideal gas law: ρ ∝ P. Doubling pressure doubles density.

Notable Exception - Water:

Water has maximum density at 4°C (1000 kg/m³). Below 4°C, density decreases as temperature falls. At 0°C (freezing): 917 kg/m³ (ice is less dense). This anomaly causes ice to float on water. Critical for aquatic life in frozen lakes.

Practical Implications:
  • Always specify temperature/pressure when density values critical
  • Room temperature (20°C) standard reference for most materials
  • Cryogenic temperatures (very cold) increase density dramatically
  • Deep ocean pressures significantly increase density of water/materials
  • Altitude/atmospheric pressure variations affect gas density
🔄 Density Unit Conversions
SI Units (International Standard):

Kilogram per cubic meter (kg/m³) is standard SI unit. Reference: water = 1000 kg/m³. Widely used in science and engineering. Large numbers for typical solids (iron = 7874 kg/m³).

Metric Alternative:

Gram per cubic centimeter (g/cm³) = 1000 kg/m³ numerically. Convenient for smaller volumes. Commonly used in chemistry (water = 1 g/cm³). Easier mental conversion in lab work.

Imperial Units:

Pound per cubic foot (lb/ft³): Common in US engineering (water ≈ 62.4 lb/ft³). Pound per cubic inch (lb/in³): Very large numbers (water ≈ 0.036 lb/in³). Used in materials science and machinining.

Key Conversion Factors:
  • 1 kg/m³ = 0.001 g/cm³
  • 1 g/cm³ = 1000 kg/m³
  • 1 lb/ft³ = 16.0185 kg/m³
  • 1 kg/m³ = 0.06243 lb/ft³
  • 1 lb/in³ = 27680 kg/m³
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is water's density 1000 kg/m³? +
Historical definition. Original kilogram defined as mass of 1 liter water at 4°C. 1 liter = 0.001 m³. Therefore: 1 kg ÷ 0.001 m³ = 1000 kg/m³. Now redefined by Planck constant, but value maintained for consistency. Convenient reference standard for density comparisons.
Why does ice float on water? +
Ice less dense than water. Water at 4°C: 1000 kg/m³. Ice at 0°C: 917 kg/m³ (about 8% less dense). Hydrogen bonding creates crystalline structure with more space. Objects less dense than liquid medium float. Crucial for aquatic ecosystems - ice floats, insulating liquid water below.
How to compare densities without calculating? +
Use water (1 g/cm³) as reference. Material with density > 1 g/cm³ sinks. Material with density < 1 g/cm³ floats. Relative to water: oil floats (less dense), iron sinks (more dense). Quick practical test: place in water and observe. Most metals denser; most oils less dense.
What's density of gases at sea level? +
Air (sea level, 15°C): 1.225 kg/m³. Hydrogen: 0.09 kg/m³ (lightest). Oxygen: 1.43 kg/m³. Nitrogen: 1.25 kg/m³. Carbon dioxide: 1.98 kg/m³ (heavier than air - sinks). Altitude/pressure changes gas density significantly.
Why do helium balloons float? +
Helium density (0.1785 kg/m³) much less than air (1.225 kg/m³). Buoyant force supports balloon weight. Density difference creates upward force (Archimedes' principle). Helium lighter than air like cork lighter than water. Hydrogen floats even better but flammable (Hindenburg disaster).
How to measure density of irregular objects? +
Water displacement method: submerge object in graduated cylinder, measure volume change. Mass object on accurate scale. Calculate ρ = m/V. Works for any solid not soluble in water. Archimedes used this method (famous "eureka" moment). Principle: displaced water volume = object volume.
Why is density important in engineering? +
Material selection: weight vs. strength tradeoff. Aluminum lighter than iron (2700 vs 7874 kg/m³). Aerospace uses low-density materials. Buoyancy calculations: ships, submarines, hot air balloons. Pressure vessel design: density affects stress. Quality control: identify materials, detect defects, verify purity.
Can two materials have same density? +
Possible but rare for same material state. Different materials might have similar densities: aluminum (2700 kg/m³), glass (2500 kg/m³), concrete (2400 kg/m³). Alloys engineered to achieve specific densities. Same material at different temperatures/pressures can have identical density to other materials.

Related Calculators