Relative density
A pycnometer (from Greek: πυκνός (puknos) meaning "dense"), also called pyknometer or specific gravity bottle, is a device used to determine the density of a liquid. A pycnometer is usually made of glass, with a close-fitting ground glass stopper with a capillary tube through it, so that air bubbles may escape from the apparatus. This device enables a liquid's density to be measured accurately by reference to an appropriate working fluid, such as water or mercury, using an analytical balance.
Saltwater intrusion
The figure shows the Ghyben–Herzberg relation. In the equation, formula_1 the thickness of the freshwater zone above sea level is represented as formula_2 and that below sea level is represented as formula_3. The two thicknesses formula_2 and formula_3, are related by formula_6 and formula_7 where formula_6 is the density of freshwater and formula_9 is the density of saltwater. Freshwater has a density of about 1.000 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm) at 20 °C, whereas that of seawater is about 1.025 g/cm. The equation can be simplified to formula_10.