Density is a physical property that measures how much mass is contained in a given volume of a substance. It is defined as the ratio of mass (m) to volume (V), expressed mathematically as ρ=mV\rho =\frac{m}{V}ρ=Vm, where ρ\rho ρ (rho) represents density
. The units of density depend on the system used but are commonly grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³) or kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³). For example, water has a density of about 1 g/cm³, meaning 1 gram of water occupies 1 cubic centimeter of volume
. Density indicates how compact or concentrated the matter in a substance is. Substances with more mass packed into the same volume have higher density, while those with less mass in the same volume have lower density
. This property explains why some objects float in water (if their density is less than water) and others sink (if denser than water)
. Density can vary with temperature and pressure; generally, increasing pressure increases density by reducing volume, while increasing temperature decreases density by expanding volume
. In summary, density is a fundamental characteristic of matter that relates mass to volume, determining how heavy or light a substance is for its size.
