Density Converter & Specific Gravity Lab

Density (symbol ρ) is the physical measurement of mass per unit volume (ρ = Mass ÷ Volume). In cooking and metrology, density is the direct conversion factor between liquid or dry volumes (such as pints, cups, or liters) and gravitational weight (such as pounds, ounces, or grams).

Because 1 milliliter equals 1 cubic centimeter (1 cm³) and 1 liter equals 1,000 mL, 1 g/mL is mathematically identical to 1 kg/L. In SI base units, 1 g/mL equals exactly 1,000 kg/m³.

To convert density from g/mL to lb/US gal, multiply by 8.345404. For example, pure water at 1.000 g/mL equals 8.3454 lb/gal. Clover honey at 1.420 g/mL equals 11.8505 lb/gal.

Specific Gravity is a dimensionless ratio comparing the density of a substance to the density of pure water at a standard reference temperature (typically 4°C or 20°C). An SG > 1.000 means the substance is denser than water and will sink; an SG < 1.000 means it is lighter and floats.

Almost all liquids and solids expand when heated, increasing volume and lowering density. For example, water reaches maximum density of 1.0000 g/mL at 3.98°C (39.2°F), but expands to 0.9982 g/mL at 20°C (68°F) and 0.9584 g/mL at boiling (100°C / 212°F). Standard culinary reference densities are calibrated at room temperature (20°C / 68°F).