Density measures how tightly packed an object's mass is within its volume — it's why a steel ball sinks while a same-sized foam ball floats.
Density measures how tightly packed an object's mass is within its volume — it's why a steel ball sinks while a same-sized foam ball floats. This calculator finds density from mass and volume, which is useful for identifying materials or checking whether something will float.
A block has a mass of 15 kg and a volume of 0.02 m³. Density = 15 / 0.02 = 750 kg/m³ — less dense than water (1000 kg/m³), so it would float.
Density = mass divided by volume, commonly expressed in g/cm³, kg/m³, or lb/ft³.
Because they're made of materials with different densities — a given volume of lead weighs far more than the same volume of foam.
Since many materials have a known, consistent density, measuring an object's mass and volume and calculating density can help identify what it's made of.