kgm3

kgm3, usually written as kg/m^3 or kg m^-3, is the SI-derived unit for density, defined as mass per unit volume. It expresses how much mass is contained in a given volume and is used across physics, engineering, and materials science to compare how compact or buoyant substances are.

In terms of dimensions, density has the unit of kilograms per cubic meter, reflecting the relationship between mass (kg) and volume (m^3). Conversions to other common density units include: 1 kg/m^3 = 0.001 g/cm^3 and 1 g/cm^3 = 1000 kg/m^3. In customary units, 1 kg/m^3 equals approximately 0.062428 lb/ft^3. The unit is particularly convenient for macroscopic materials and fluids because typical densities fall within a manageable range in kg/m^3.

Representative values: air at sea level is about 1.2 kg/m^3, water is about 1000 kg/m^3, steel around 7850 kg/m^3, and concrete roughly 2400 kg/m^3. These magnitudes illustrate how density influences buoyancy, fluid behavior, and material selection.

Applications of density in kg/m^3 include calculating buoyant forces, designing fluid systems, determining material performance under load, and assessing soil or sediment properties. Density is also used in conjunction with specific gravity and other material properties to characterize substances.

Note on notation: while kg/m^3 is standard, some sources shorten it to kgm^-3 or write "kgm3." To avoid ambiguity, the preferred forms are kg/m^3 or kg m^-3. See also density and related material-property topics.