A piece of metal has a mass of #200# #g# and a volume of #2# #cm^3#. What is its specific gravity?

1 Answer
Nov 30, 2016

#"Specific gravity"# #=# #100#.

Explanation:

#"Specific gravity"# is the density (#rho#) of a material compared to that of a reference substance, water.

And thus #"Specific gravity"# #=# #rho_"material"/rho_"water"# #=# #((200*g)/(2*cm^3))/(1*g*cm^-3)=100#.

Because it is #rho_"substance"/rho_"water"#, the units cancel out, and #"specific gravity"# is dimensionless. This density has been made up.