How do I Calculate Density? Density and specific gravity in the
geosciences An introduction to densityDensity is the mass of an
object divided by its volume. Density often has units of grams
per cubic centimeter (g/cm3). Remember, grams is a mass and
cubic centimeters is a volume (the same volume as 1 milliliter).
Density is a fundamental concept in the sciences; you will see
it throughout your studies. It is used quite often in
identifying rocks and minerals since the density of substances
rarely changes significantly. For example, gold will always have
a density of 19.3 g/cm3; if a mineral has a density other than
that, it isn't gold. You probably have an intuitive feeling for
density in the materials you use often. For example, sponges are
low in density; they have a low mass per unit volume. You are
not surprised when a large sponge is easy to lift. In contrast,
iron is dense. If you pick up an iron skillet, you expect it to
be heavy. Students, and even teachers, often confuse mass and
density. The words