How to use this calculator
- Enter or choose solve for.
- Enter or choose mass.
- Enter or choose mass unit.
- Enter or choose volume.
- Enter or choose volume unit.
- The density updates as you type. Use Copy result or Share to keep it.
Method
ρ = m ÷ V; m = ρ × V; V = m ÷ ρ
- ρ
- density
- m
- mass
- V
- volume (1 L = 0.001 m³; 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg; 1 ft = 0.3048 m)
Worked example
- Steel has a density of about 7,850 kg/m³.
- m = ρ × V = 7,850 × 0.5 = 3,925 kg.
Half a cubic metre of steel at 7,850 kg/m³ has a mass of 3,925 kg (about 8,653 lb).
What the result means
Comparing a material’s density with water (1,000 kg/m³, or 1 g/cm³) tells you whether it floats. Density also converts between a volume you can measure and a mass you need for shipping, loading or recipes.
Assumptions and limits
- The material is uniform, so one density applies to the whole volume.
- Density changes with temperature and, for gases, strongly with pressure: use a value measured under your conditions.
- Loose materials (sand, grain, gravel) have a bulk density that depends on packing and moisture.
Questions
What is the difference between mass and weight?
Mass is the amount of matter, in kilograms or pounds. Weight is the force gravity puts on that mass, in newtons; the Weight Calculator converts one to the other.
How do g/cm³ and kg/m³ relate?
1 g/cm³ = 1,000 kg/m³ = 1 g/mL. Water at about 4 °C is very close to 1 g/cm³.