Solids and Metals - Specific Gravities
The Specific Gravity - SG - is a dimensionless unit defined as the ratio of density of the material to the density of water at a specified temperature. It is common to use the density of water at 4 oC (39 oF) as reference - at this point the density of water is at the highest.
Specific gravities - SG - for common solids and metals can be found in the table below:
| Product | Specific Gravity - SG- |
|---|---|
| ABS, extrusion grade | 1.05 |
| ABS, high impact | 1.03 |
| Acetal, 20% glass | 1.55 |
| Acetal, copolymer | 1.41 |
| Acetyl, homopolymer | 1.41 |
| Acrylic | 1.19 |
| Alumina | 3.4 - 3.6 |
| Aluminum min. | 2.55 |
| Aluminum max. | 2.8 |
| Aluminum Bronze | 7.8 |
| Andesite, solid | 2.8 |
| Antimony | 6.69 |
| Asbestos, cement board | 1.4 |
| Asbestos, mill board | 1.0 |
| Asbestos, shredded | 0.3 - 0.4 |
| Asbestos, rock | 1.6 |
| Asphalt | 1.1 |
| Asphaltum | 1.4 |
| Azdel | 1.19 |
| Bakelite, solid | 1.4 |
| Bark | 0.25 |
| Barite | 4.5 |
| Barium | 3.62 |
| Barium sulfate | 4.5 |
| Basalt, broken | 1.95 |
| Basalt solid | 3.0 |
| Beeswax | 0.95 |
| Bentonite | 2.4 |
| Beryllium | 1.848 |
| Bismuth | 9.79 |
| Borax min. | 1.7 |
| Borax min. | 1.8 |
| Boron | 2.32 |
| Brass, cast rolled | 8.4 - 8.7 |
| Brick, common red | 1.75 |
| Brick, fire clay (firebrick) | 2.4 |
| Brick, hard | 2.0 |
| Brickwork, in cement | 1.8 |
| Brickwork, in mortar | 1.6 |
| Brickwood, in cement | 1.8 |
| Brickwood, in mortar | 1.6 |
| Bronze aluminum | 7.7 |
| Bronze phosphor | 8.88 |
| Bronze, 7.9 - 14% Sn | 7.4 - 8.9 |
| Cadmium | 8.65 |
| Calcium | 4.58 |
| Calcium carbonate | 2.7 |
| Carbon, solid | 2.1 |
| Carbon, powdered | 0.08 |
| Cement | 1.2 - 1.5 |
| Cement, Portland (set) | 3.1 |
| Cerium | 6.77 |
| Cesium | 1.873 |
| Chalk | 2.3 |
| Charcoal, wood | 0.4 |
| Chromium | 7.19 |
| Chromium dioxide (Cr203) | 5.22 |
| Clay min. | 1.8 |
| Clay max. | 2.6 |
| Coal, anthracite | 1.5 |
| Coal, bitumious | 1.2 |
| Coal, slag | 2.7 |
| Cobalt | 8.71 |
| Concrete, ligth | 1.4 |
| Concrete, stone | 2.2 |
| Corkboard | 0.2 |
| Copper | 8.89 |
| CPVC | 1.55 |
| Diamond | 3.51 |
| Dolomite rock | 2.9 |
| Dysprosium | 8.55 |
| Earth, dry | 1.4 |
| Emery | 4.0 |
| Epoxy | 1.8 |
| Erbium | 9.066 |
| Europium | 5.244 |
| Ferrosilicon - 15% | 6.7 - 7.1 |
| Fiberboard, ligth | 0.24 |
| Fiber hardboard | 1.1 |
| Fiber glass sheet | 1.87 |
| Flint stones / pebbles | 2.4 - 2.6 |
| Gadolinium | 7.9 |
| Gallium | 5.91 |
| Germanium | 5.32 |
| German silver | 8.58 |
| Glass min. | 2.4 |
| Glass max. | 2.8 |
| Glass beads | 2.5 |
| Glass crystal min. | 2.9 |
| Glass crystal max. | 3 |
| Glass plate min. | 2.45 |
| Glass plate max. | 2.72 |
| Gold, 22 carat fine1) | 17.5 |
| Gold, pure | 19.32 |
| Gold, US coin1) | 17.18 - 17.2 |
| Granite min. | 2.4 |
| Graphite | 2.07 |
| Gypsum, solid | 2.8 |
| Gypsum, board | 0.8 |
| Hafnium | 13.31 |
| Hairfelt | 0.1 |
| Hematite | 5.2 |
| Holmium | 8.795 |
| Hornblende | 3 |
| Ice (0oC, 32oF) | 0.92 |
| Ilmenite | 4.5- 5.0 |
| Indium | 7.31 |
| Iodine | 4.93 |
| Iridium min. | 21.78 |
| Iridium max. | 22.42 |
| Iron cast min. | 7.03 |
| Iron cast max. | 7.13 |
| Iron carbonate | 3.9 + |
| Iron slag | 2.7 |
| Iron wrought min. | 7.6 |
| Iron wrought max. | 7.9 |
| Lanthanum | 6.17 |
| Leather, dry | 0.9 |
| Limestone min. | 2.1 |
| Limestone max. | 2.86 |
| Lead | 11.35 |
| Lead ore, galena | 7.3 - 7.6 |
| Lead oxide (yellow) | 9.5 - 9.9 |
| Leather | 0.95 |
| Limestone | 2.6 |
| Lithium | 0.53 |
| Lutetium | 9.84 |
| Magnesite | 3 |
| Magnetite | 3.2 |
| Manganese | 7.21 - 7.44 |
| Manganese ore, pyrolusite | 3.7 - 4.6 |
| Magnesium | 1.738 |
| Marble min. | 2.6 |
| Marble max. | 2.86 |
| Masonry | 2.4 |
| Mercury | 13.534 |
| Mica | 2.7 |
| Mineral wool blanket | 0.1 |
| Molybdenum | 10.22 |
| Monel metal, rolled | 8.97 |
| Mortar | 1.5 |
| Mullite beads | 2.8 |
| Neodymium | 7.00 |
| Nickel | 8.90 |
| Niobium (Columbium) | 8.57 |
| Nylon 6 Cast | 1.16 |
| Nylon 6/6, Cast | 1.30 |
| Nylon 6/6, Extruded | 1.14 |
| Nylon 60L, Cast | 1.16 |
| Oak, red | 0.7 |
| Osmium | 22.57 |
| Paper | 0.9 |
| Palladium | 12.02 |
| Paraffin wax | 0.9 |
| PET, unfilled | 1.36 |
| Phenolics | 1.38 |
| Phosphorus | 1.8 |
| Plaster, light | 0.7 |
| Plaster, sand | 1.8 |
| Plaster of Paris | 1.8 |
| Plastics, foamed | 0.2 |
| Plastics, solid | 1.2 |
| Platinum | 21.45 |
| Plutonium | 19.84 |
| Polycarbonate | 1.19 |
| Polyethylene, HD | 0.97 |
| Polyethylene, UHMW | 0.94 |
| Polyethermide | 1.27 |
| Polyphenylene Sulfide | 1.30 |
| Polymethylpentene | 0.83 |
| Polymid, unfilled | 1.41 |
| Polypropylene | 0.91 |
| Polysulfone | 1.25 |
| Polyurethane | 1.05 |
| Porcelain | 2.5 |
| Potassium | 0.86 |
| Praseodymium | 6.77 |
| Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) | 2.19 |
| PVC | 1.39 |
| PVDF | 1.77 |
| Quartz min. | 2.5 |
| Quartz max. | 2.8 |
| Rhenium | 21.02 |
| Rhodium | 12.41 |
| Rubidium | 1.532 |
| Ruthenium | 12.45 |
| Salt | 2.2 |
| Samarium | 7.52 |
| Sand, silica | 2.6 |
| Sand, quartz | 1.2 |
| Sandstone min. | 2 |
| Sandstone max. | 2.6 |
| Sawdust | 0.15 |
| Selenium | 4.28 |
| Scandium | 2.989 |
| Serpentine min. | 2.7 |
| Selenium | 4.8 |
| Serpentine max. | 2.8 |
| Sialon | 3.26 |
| Silica aerogel | 0.11 |
| Silicon | 2.33 |
| Silicon carbide | 3.1 |
| Silicon nitride | 3.2 |
| Silver | 10.50 |
| Silver, German | 8.58 |
| Slate | 2.8 |
| Soapstone | 2.7 |
| Sodium | 0.968 |
| Steatite beads | 2.6 - 2.7 |
| Steel, 440C stainless | 7.7 |
| Steel, carbon | 7.8 |
| Steel, chrome | 7.8 |
| Steel, cold-drawn | 7.83 |
| Steel, machine | 7.80 |
| Steel, tool | 7.70 - 7.73 |
| Strontium | 2.64 |
| Sulfur | 2.0 |
| Talc min. | 2.6 |
| Talc max. | 2.8 |
| Tantalium | 16.69 |
| Tar, bituminous | 1.2 |
| Tellurium min. | 6 |
| Tellurium max. | 6.24 |
| Thallium | 11.85 |
| Thorium | 11.7 |
| Thulium | 9.32 |
| Tile | 1.8 |
| Tin | 7.31 |
| Tin ore, cassiterite | 6.4 - 7.0 |
| 63 Sn & 37 Pb | 8.42 |
| 10 Sn & 90 Pb | 10.50 |
| Titanium | 4.506 |
| Titanium dioxide, Anatase | 3.77 |
| Trap rock | 3.0 |
| Tungsten | 19.22 |
| Tungsten carbide | 14.29 |
| Uranium | 18.8 |
| Vanadium | 5.96 |
| Vermiculite | 0.13 |
| Vinyl ester | 1.8 |
| Water | 1.0 |
| White metal | 7.3 |
| Wood, balsa | 0.16 |
| Wood, oak | 0.7 |
| Wood, white pine | 0.5 |
| Wood, felt | 0.3 |
| Wood, loose | 0.1 |
| Wool | 1.32 |
| Ytterbium | 6.97 |
| Yttrium | 4.47 |
| Zinc, cast-rolled | 6.9 - 7.2 |
| Zinc blend min | 3.9 |
| Zinc blend max | 4.2 |
| Zinc min. | 6.9 |
| Zinc max. | 7.2 |
| Zirconium | 6.506 |
| Zirconium silicate | 3.85 |
1) Gold used in 22K and gold coins is not pure. 22 karat gold is 91.3 % pure.
Note! - be aware that some of the values are based on bulk densities including interstitial air.
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