Specific weights
Table of building materials. Density is the mass per unit volume (kg/m³), while specific weight is the weight per unit volume (kN/m³) and depends on the acceleration of gravity.
Density and specific weight of some materials
Density is the mass per unit volume (kg/m³), while specific weight is the weight per unit volume (kN/m³) and depends on the acceleration of gravity. The density and specific gravity of a material can vary with temperature and pressure, so these figures are approximate and may be subject to slight variations in actual conditions.
The following table shows the value of the density (more properly “volume mass”) in kg/m³ and the specific weight in N/m³ of some materials. To obtain the value of the specific weight in N/m³, simply multiply the value of the density by the gravitational acceleration constant, which in the case of the Earth’s gravitational field is approximately 9,81 m/s² (it depends on the point on the Earth’s surface where you are, the conventional value has been set at 9,80665 m/s²).
In the following table, unless otherwise indicated, the term “water” means pure water (i.e. without substances dissolved in it, or consisting only of H2O molecules). In fact, the specific weight of water varies depending on the substances possibly dissolved in it.
Density values can also be read indifferently as grams per dm³.
Source: Wikipedia
| Material | Density (kg/m³) | Specific weight (N/m³) |
|---|---|---|
| Fir | 700 | 6870 |
| Steel | 7860 | 77110 |
| Water at 0°C | 999,8 | 9810 |
| Water at 4°C | 1000 | 9806 |
| Water at 20°C | 998,2 | 9790 |
| Aqua di mare | 1025 | 10052 |
| Hydrogen peroxide | 1460 | 14320 |
| Aerogel (solid smoke) | 1,9 | 18,64 |
| Airgraphite | 0,2 | 1,962 |
| Ethyl alcohol | 794 | 7786 |
| Methyl alcohol | 798 | 7825 |
| Aluminum | 2600-2750 | 25510-26980 |
| Carbon dioxide | 1,98 | 19,4 |
| Argento | 10500 | 102900 |
| Sandstone, crushed, loose | 1854 | 14813 |
| AIR | 1,293 | 12,68 |
| Nitrogen (N2) | 1,251 | 12,27 |
| Balsa (wood) | 160 | 1570 |
| Basalt | 2800-2950 | 27470-28940 |
| Crushed basalt, loose | 1960 | 19228 |
| Bauxite, Kaolin, bulk | 1420 | 13930 |
| Petrol | 700-720 | 6867-7063 |
| Crushed limestone, deposited | 1540 | 15107 |
| Concrete with exposed | 2200-2600 | 21580-25510 |
| Menu | 970 | 9516 |
| Cellulose | 1500 | 14710 |
| Ash | 900 | 8830 |
| Wax (paraffin) | 950 | 9320 |
| Beeswax; | 958-970 | 9398-9516 |
| Portland cement | 3150 | 30901 |
| Human Body | 1040 | 10202 |
| Diamond | 3550 | 34820 |
| Elio | 0,179 | 1,76 |
| Iron | 7880 | 77300 |
| Gypsum | 2300 | 22560 |
| Crushed plaster, deposited | 1810 | 17756 |
| Ice at 0°C | 917 | 9000 |
| Granite | 2500-2850 | 24520-27960 |
| Crushed granite, deposited | 1660 | 16285 |
| Body fat | 900 | 8829 |
| Hydrogen (H2) | 0,089 | 0,87 |
| Iridium | 22610 | 221800 |
| Milk at 15°C | 1029-1034 | 10090-10140 |
| Marble | 2500-2800 | 24520-27470 |
| Mercury | 13590 | 133320 |
| Nickel | 8600 | 84370 |
| Naphtha | 760-790 | 7456-7750 |
| Fresh snow | 100-200 | 981-1962 |
| Olive oil | 916 | 8990 |
| Seed oil | 920 | 9020 |
| Gold | 19250 | 188840 |
| Osmium | 22660 | 222290 |
| Oxygen (O2) | 1,429 | 14,02 |
| Brass | 8400-8700 | 82400-85350 |
| Palladium | 12023 | 117900 |
| Petroleum | 840 | 8240 |
| Lead | 11340 | 111240 |
| Platinum | 21400 | 209930 |
| Expanded polystyrene | ÷ 20 50 | ÷ 196 490 |
| Porcelain | 2400 | 23540 |
| Copper | 8890-8930 | 87210-87600 |
| Rock salt | 2200 | 21580 |
| Tin | 7280 | 71420 |
| Cork | 200-350 | 1962-3433 |
| Talc | 2600-2800 | 25510-27470 |
| Compacted earth¹ | 1700-1800 | 16680-17660 |
| Dry land deposited | 1510 | 14815 |
| Wet earth extracted | 1600 | 15700 |
| Dry land with a predominantly clayey, gravelly matrix deposited | 1420 | 13930 |
| Wet soil with a predominantly clayey, gravelly matrix deposited | 1540 | 15110 |
| Dry clayey earth, deposited | 1480 | 14520 |
| Dry sandy soil, deposited | 1420 | 13930 |
| Carbon tetrachloride | 1594 | 15631 |
| Titanium | 4870 | 47770 |
| Toluene | 870 | 8531 |
| Tungsten | 19250 | 188840 |
| Uranium | 19050 | 186880 |
| Glass | 2400-2700 | 23540-26490 |
| Zinc | 7100 | 69650 |
Il specific weight is defined as the weight of a sample of material divided by its volume.
In the International System the unit of measurement is N/m³.
The term specific weight is commonly used improperly as a synonym for density and for this reason it is very often indicated as g/cm³ or kg/L or kg/dm³.
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Specific weights of wood
| MATERIALS | SPECIFIC WEIGHT (Kg/dm3)
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| Maple |
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| Silver fir |
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| Spruce |
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| Acacia |
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| Birch |
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| Bosso |
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| hornbeam |
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| Cedro |
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| Cherry tree |
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| Ebony |
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| Beech |
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| Ash |
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| Juniper |
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| Horse chestnut |
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| Larch |
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| Holm |
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| Melo |
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| Mogano |
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| Walnut |
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| Olive |
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| Olmo |
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| Alder |
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| However |
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| Wild pine |
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| Poplar |
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| Quercia |
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| Willow |
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| Sip |
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| Susino |
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| Teak |
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| lime |
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