Mass, Volume and Density

Metric System

Developed by the French in the late

1700s.

Based on powers of ten, so it is very

easy to use.

Used by almost every country in the

world, with the notable exception of
the USA.

Especially used by scientists.

Abbreviated SI, which is French for

Systeme International.

Mass

Mass is the amount of matter that

makes up an object.
A golf ball and a ping pong ball are the
same size, but the golf ball has a lot
more matter in it. So the golf ball will
have more mass.
The SI unit for mass is the gram.
A paper clip has a mass of about one
gram.
The mass of an object will not change
unless we add or subtract matter from
it.

Measuring Mass

We will use a triple beam balance

and

a digital toploading scale to

measure mass.

Weight and Mass

Earth
1 gravity

Moon
1/6th
gravity

Jupiter
2.5
gravities

Jills mass

30kg

30kg

30kg

Jills
weight

300N

50N

750N

Notice

that Jills mass never changes. Jill

is 30kg of little girl no matter where she
goes!

Volume

Volume is the amount of space an

object consumes.

The base unit for volume is the liter.

There are two methods for finding

volume.

Volume of Regular Objects

We can find the volume of box
shapes with the formula Volume =
length x width x height.

In this case the units would be cubic

centimeters (cm3).

So a box 2 cm x 3 cm x 5cm would

have a volume of 30 cm3
5 cm

cm

3 cm

Volume of Irregular Objects

We measure volume of
irregular objects with a
graduated cylinder.

This method is called

water displacement

Liquids form a curved

surface in graduated
cylinders.

Take your reading at

the low point of the
curve or meniscus

Water Displacement

Pour 7 ml of
water in a
graduated
cylinder. If a rock
causes the level
to rise to 9 ml,
the rock must
have a volume of
2 ml.

Liquid Volume

1 cm3 = 1 ml

1 cm3 of water = 1 ml of water = 1

gram of water

Water Mass and Volume

50 ml (50cm3) of water would have a mass of
50 grams
1 Liter of water would have a mass of
_______?

1 L = 1000 mL so its mass would be 1000

grams or a kilogram.

Density

Density is the amount of matter

(mass) compared to the amount of
space (volume) the object occupies.

Density

Density = mass/volume

Remember, all fractions are division

problems.

Since the unit for mass is grams, and

the unit for volume is ml or cm3, then
the unit for density is g/ml, or g/
cm3

Density Formula Wheel

Formula wheels make it

easy to solve density
problems.

Cover the property you

are trying to find, and
do what is left over.

To find density, cover

the word density. You
have mass over volume
remaining. So divide
mass by volume to find
density!

Mass

Density

Volume

Understanding Density

In the following illustration, each square

will represent 1 cm3.

Each g will represent 1 gram.

Mass = 24g

Volume = 8 cm3

Density = ?g/cm3

g g
g

g
g

g g
g

g
g

g
g

g g

g
g

g g
g

g
g