Density Calculator
Calculate density, mass, or volume using the density formula.
Essential for physics and chemistry.
Density measures how much mass is packed into a given volume. It is one of the most fundamental properties in physics and chemistry, used to identify materials, predict buoyancy, and solve countless engineering problems.
The three formulas (any two values give you the third):
Density = Mass / Volume
Mass = Density × Volume
Volume = Mass / Density
What each variable means:
- Density — how “heavy” a material is for its size. A dense material (like lead) has a lot of mass in a small volume. A less dense material (like cork) has less mass for the same volume.
- Mass — the amount of matter in an object, measured in grams (g), kilograms (kg), or pounds (lb).
- Volume — the amount of space the object occupies, measured in cm³, m³, or ft³.
Common reference densities:
| Material | g/cm³ | kg/m³ | lb/ft³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air (sea level) | 0.001225 | 1.225 | 0.0765 |
| Water | 1.00 | 1,000 | 62.43 |
| Ice | 0.917 | 917 | 57.25 |
| Aluminum | 2.70 | 2,700 | 168.6 |
| Iron | 7.87 | 7,870 | 491.4 |
| Gold | 19.32 | 19,320 | 1,206 |
Unit conversions: 1 g/cm³ = 1,000 kg/m³ = 62.43 lb/ft³.
Practical example: A block of aluminum measures 10 cm × 5 cm × 2 cm (volume = 100 cm³). Using aluminum’s density of 2.70 g/cm³, its mass is 2.70 × 100 = 270 grams. In imperial units, that same block is about 0.595 lb.
Tips: An object floats in a liquid if its density is lower than the liquid’s density. This is why ice (0.917 g/cm³) floats on water (1.00 g/cm³). Density changes with temperature, so precise measurements should note the temperature. For irregularly shaped objects, you can find volume by water displacement.