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How to Get Mass From Density

Although density and mass have a similar relationship, they have slight differences in their meaning. The mass refers to the weight of the matter with respect to gravity, while density refers to the physical composition of the matter. Since the equation "Density = Mass / Volume" has mass and density on opposite sides of the equation, you can solve for the mass knowing the density and velocity of the matter.

Things You'll Need

Water
Graduated cylinder
Scale
Object

Instructions

- 1
  Find the density of the object by weighing the item on a scale and then placing it in a graduated cylinder or beaker with water. Take the measurement of the water reading before and after the object was placed into the graduated cylinder and subtract it to obtain the volume of the object. Divide the volume of the object from its weight to obtain the density. Make sure your units correspond throughout the calculation.
- 2
  Identify the basic density equation and convert it to solve for mass. Since the equation is Density = Mass / Volume (D = M/V), you must multiply each side by the velocity to get "M," the mass, by itself. The new equation for mass is Mass = Density x Volume (M = D x V).
- 3
  Find the volume of the item with a given density. For example, if an ice cube with the density of 6 g/cubic inch has the dimensions of 1 inch by 1 inch by 1 inch, the volume would be 1 cubic inch.
- 4
  Substitute the value of the density and volume to find the mass. For example, if the ice cube has a density of 6 g/cubic inch and has a volume of 1 cubic inch, the mass would be 6 grams (6 g/cubic inch x 1 cubic inch = 6g).

Numerology