Specific Gravity

Specific Gravity

Specific gravity is a concept in physics and physical chemistry, used to compare the density of a substance to a reference substance. The reference is usually water for liquids, and air for gases.

Definition

Specific gravity is defined as the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance at a specified temperature. It is a dimensionless quantity, as it is the ratio of two densities and density is a quantity of mass divided by volume.

Calculation

The specific gravity of a substance can be calculated by dividing its density by the density of the reference substance. The result is a dimensionless number. For example, the specific gravity of water at 4 degrees Celsius is 1, as the density of water at this temperature is 1 g/cm³.

Applications

Specific gravity has many applications in industries and scientific fields. It is used in geology to identify rocks and minerals, in the brewing industry to measure the sugar content of wort, and in medicine to measure the concentration of certain substances in bodily fluids.

See also

• Density
• Buoyancy
• Hydrometer
• Archimedes' principle

References

Specific Gravity Resources
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