Density of the same substance.

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In summary, the density of a substance depends on its form, but water is an exception as it becomes less dense when it freezes. Most liquids are denser in their solid form, including metals like silver and lead. However, some materials may incorporate air into their structure and become denser in their liquid form depending on the conditions of solidification.
  • #1
austin15
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What's more dense, the liquid or solid form of the same substance?
Density of water = ~1.0g/cm^3
Density of ice = ~0.92g/cm^3
 
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  • #2
Clearly, it depends on the substance. But water is rather unusual. (Good thing, too!)
 
  • #3
what about metals like silver, lead etc...
 
  • #4
Most liquids are denser in their solid form than liquid. That certainly applies to metals.

Water is, as Doc Al said, very unusual. Because of its unusual crystaline structure, It becomes less dense just as it freezes. If you were to reduce the temperature of ice even more, then it would become denser.

And, to quote Doc Al, "Good thing, too!" If water did not become expand as it freezes, ice would not crack rock, converting it to soil in which things can grow, there would not be a pocket of unfrozen water at the bottom of lakes in which fish could survive the winter, etc.
 
  • #5
Is there any liquid which is denser in its liquid form than its solid state.

Cheers !
 
  • #6
That would partly depend upon the conditions of solidification. Some materials incorporate air into their structure upon hardening (ie: they 'foam') unless precautions are taken. An example of that would be lava.
 
  • #7
Thanx for the information..

Cheers !
 
  • #8
austin15 said:
Is there any liquid which is denser in its liquid form than its solid state.

Cheers !

Do you mean you didn't understand what Doc Al and I have already said?
 
  • #9
yes I got the point.

Thank you.
 

1. What is density and how is it measured?

Density is the measure of how much mass is contained within a given volume of a substance. It is typically measured in units of mass per volume, such as grams per cubic centimeter. To determine the density of a substance, you can divide its mass by its volume.

2. How does the density of a substance affect its properties?

Density can affect the properties of a substance in various ways. For example, substances with a higher density tend to sink in substances with a lower density, such as oil in water. Density can also impact the buoyancy of an object, as well as its ability to conduct heat and electricity.

3. Can the density of a substance change?

The density of a substance is typically considered to be an intrinsic property, meaning it does not change based on the amount or size of the substance. However, external factors such as temperature and pressure can affect the density of a substance, causing it to expand or contract.

4. How is density related to the atomic structure of a substance?

Density is closely related to the atomic structure of a substance. The more tightly packed the atoms are within a substance, the higher its density will be. For example, solids tend to have a higher density than liquids or gases due to their more organized atomic structure.

5. What is the difference between density and specific gravity?

Density and specific gravity are often used interchangeably, but they have slightly different meanings. Density is the measure of mass per unit volume, while specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance, usually water. Specific gravity is a unitless quantity, while density is typically measured in units such as g/cm3 or kg/m3.

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