EXPERIMENT NO.

1
DETERMINING DENSITY, SPECIFIC GRAVITY AND VISCOSITY OF
FLUIDS
OBJECTIVE
To determine the density, specific gravity and viscosity of certain fluids
(Gasoline, SAE Oil, and Cooking Oil)
MATERIALS
Gasoline
Cooking Oil
SAE Oil
Stopwatch
Weighing Scale

Beaker
Graduated Cylinder
Funnel
Ruler/Meter Stick
Marbles

PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING DENSITY OF A FLUID

1. Weigh graduated cylinder and record its mass in grams (Mass1)
2. Pour the fluid into the cylinder and determine the mass of the
cylinder and the fluid (Mass2)
3. To get the mass of the fluid, subtract the mass of the cylinder and
the fluid with the mass of the cylinder (Mass 2-Mass 1=Mass of fluid)
4. Measure the volume of the fluid in mL (at the lower meniscus)
5. Compute for the Density of the fluid using the formula
p =m/V=grams/mL
PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF A FLUID
1. Determine the Density of the fluid
2. Compute for the Specific Gravity using the formula
fluid
SG= water
PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING THE VISCOSITY OF A FLUID
1. Measure the diameter of the marble at 4 different points. Get the
average diameter in centimeters and convert to meters
4
3
2. Compute for the volume of the marble using the formula V= 3 R
3. Weigh the marble and determine its mass in grams and convert to
kilograms
4. Pour the fluid into the graduated cylinder (at 1000 mL mark)
5. Place a tape at the 900 mL mark (starting point) and at the 100 mL
mark (end point)
6. Drop the marble in free fall into the graduated cylinder and record
the time it travels from the starting point to the end point.
7. Do this three (3) times and get the average time
8. Compute for the velocity using the formula
V=height/time=m/sec
9. Compute for the Viscosity of the fluid using the formula
m goil V obj
oil V obj g+6 R o bj v obj =mobj g
= obj
6 Robj v obj

DATA AND COMPUTATION

GASOLINE SAMPLE
Volume: 970 mL or 0.970L
Mass of cylinder: 249.06 g
Mass of cylinder + gasoline: 945.32 945.32

-249.06
696.26 g x

1 kg
=0.69626 kg
1000 g

mass of gasoline

Density
p=

m
=
v

0.69626 kg
kg
=717.80 3
3
L0.001 m
m
0.970
1L

Specific Gravity
kg
fluid
m3
=
=0.7178
SG= water
kg
1000 3
m
717.80

SAE OIL SAMPLE (Gear Oil 140)

Volume: 980mL or 0.980L
Mass of cylinder: 249.06 g
Mass of cylinder+ sae oil: 1,128.43 g
Diameter of marble
D1: 1.50 cm
D2: 1.49 cm
D3: 1.37 cm
D4: 1.38 cm

total: 5.74 cm 4=1.435 cm

3
R= 0.7175 cm or 7.175 10 m

Mass of sae oil

1,128.55
- 249.06

879.49 g

1 kg
=0.8794 kg
( 1000
g)

DENSITY
=

m
0.8794 kg
kg
=
=897.35 3
4 3
v 9.8 10 m
m

SPECIFIC GRAVITY
kg
fluid
m3
=
=0.8973
water
kg
1000 3
m
897.35

SG=

T 1 :1.61 s
T 2 :1.69 s
T 3 :1.54 s
3=1.61 s

Total: 4.84 s

Velocity of marble

v=

h
=
t

29 cm

( 1001mcm ) =0.180124 m

1.61 s

Volume of marble
3

7.175 10 m

106 m3
V= 4
=
1.5472
4
R3 =
3
3

Viscosity of sae oil

oil V obj g+ 6 R obj v obj =mobj g

mobj goil V obj

6 Robj v obj
5.27 g

1kg
( 1000
)g (9.81 ms )( 897.35 mkg ) (1.5472 10 m )( 9.81 ms )
m
6 ( 7.175 10 m) ( 0.180124 )
s
6

=1.56

Ns
m2

COOKING OIL
Volume: 1000mL or 1L
Mass of cylinder: 247.31 g
3
Mass of marble: 5.28 g or 5.28 10 kg

Total mass: 1,147.61 g

Height: 0.29 m
Radius of marble
D 1 :1.50 cm
D 2 :1.50 cm
D 3 :1.62 cm
D 4 :1.61 cm
Total:

6.41 cm 4=1.61 cm
3

R= 8.05 10 m
Mass of cooking oil
1,147.61 g 247.31 g = 900.3 g or 0.9 kg

Density

m
=
V

0.9 kg
3

1L

( . OO1 L1m )

=900

kg
3
m

Specific gravity
kg
fluid
m3
=
=0.9
SG= water
kg
1000 3
m
900

T 1 :0.35 s
T 2 :0.40 s
T 3 :0.32

Total: 1.07 s

3=0.36 s

Volume of marble
8.05 10
(3 m)=2.18 106 m 3
V
4
4
R3 =
3
3

Viscosity
=

m0 bj goil V obj
6 R obj V obj

m
kg
m
900 3 ( 2.185 106 m3 ) 9.81 2
2
s
m
s
m
3
6 ( 8.05 10 ) (0.81 )
s

5.28 103 kg 9.81

=

=0.26

Ns
2
m

)(