Vätskedensitet

Vätskedensitet, often translated as liquid density, is a fundamental physical property that describes how much mass is contained within a given volume of a liquid. It is formally defined as the ratio of a liquid's mass to its volume. The standard unit of measurement for density in the International System of Units (SI) is kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³), though grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³) or grams per milliliter (g/mL) are also commonly used, especially for liquids.

Density is an intrinsic property of a substance, meaning it is characteristic of that substance under specific conditions of temperature and pressure. For most liquids, density decreases as temperature increases because the liquid expands, occupying a larger volume for the same mass. Conversely, density generally increases with increasing pressure, although this effect is less pronounced for liquids than for gases.

Understanding liquid density is crucial in many scientific and industrial applications. For instance, it is used in the Archimedes' principle to determine buoyancy, which is essential for designing ships and submarines. In chemistry, density helps in identifying unknown substances and in calculating concentrations. In everyday life, density differences are responsible for phenomena like oil floating on water. Measuring liquid density can be done using various instruments, such as hydrometers or pycnometers.