Relative density, also known as specific gravity, is a dimensionless quantity that compares the density of a substance to the density of a reference material, typically water for liquids and solids, and air for gases. It provides a straightforward method to determine whether a substance will float or sink in the reference material, based on its density ratio.

Relative Density

Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance, typically water for liquids and solids. It is a dimensionless quantity that provides insight into whether a substance will float or sink when placed in a fluid medium.

Specific Gravity

A dimensionless quantity is a pure number without any physical units, often arising from the ratio of two quantities with the same dimensions, allowing for comparison across different systems. These quantities are crucial in scientific fields as they provide scale-invariant insights, facilitating the understanding of physical phenomena and the derivation of universal laws.

Dimensionless Quantity

Density of a substance

Density of a reference material

Density Ratio

Float or sink

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