Specific gravity: Use this specific gravity

Use this specific gravity calculator to find the specific gravity of different materials and see whether they will float or sink. Both density and specific gravity describe mass and may be used to compare different substances. They are not, however, identical measures. Specific gravity is an expression of density in relation to the density of a standard or reference (usually water). Also, density is expressed in units (weight relative to size) while specific gravity is a pure number or dimensionless. Specific gravity is a scalar value that indicates the relationship between the density of a substance and that of water. Calculation formula and examples. Calculating Specific Gravity Specific gravity is determined by dividing the density of a material by the density of water at 4 degrees Celsius. For the calculation, the density of the material and that of the water must be expressed in the same units.