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A pycnometer is such a tool. It is a carefully calibrated glass container with a close-fitting stopper. Since the volume is accurately known, a simple mass balance may be used to determine the mass of your unknown liquid.

There are also techniques available for measuring the density of a non-soluble powder, using the same apparatus.

In normal use, the pycnometer is filled with your unknown fluid, and weighed. Then the device is cleaned thoroughly of any residue, and a reference fluid such as water or Mercury is used to fill the pycnometer. Simple arithmetic suffices to work out the density of the unknown material.

Sometimes called the 'specific gravity bottle'.

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Vincent Hilpert

Lvl 13
3y ago

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