Which term means weight per unit volume of material?

Which term means weight per unit volume of material?

• A. Density
• B. Bulk Density
• C. Specific Weight
• D. Specific Gravity

Answer: (C)

Weight per unit volume is called the specific weight. It represents the force (weight) exerted by a material per a given volume and is usually written as gamma. In SI units it is gamma = rho × g, where rho is the density (mass per volume) and g is the acceleration due to gravity, giving units like N/m^3 or lbf/ft^3. This distinguishes it from density, which is mass per volume; bulk density, which uses a larger, porous volume and still relates to mass per that volume; and specific gravity, which is a dimensionless ratio comparing a material’s density to that of water. So the term describing weight per unit volume is specific weight.

Weight per unit volume is called the specific weight. It represents the force (weight) exerted by a material per a given volume and is usually written as gamma. In SI units it is gamma = rho × g, where rho is the density (mass per volume) and g is the acceleration due to gravity, giving units like N/m^3 or lbf/ft^3. This distinguishes it from density, which is mass per volume; bulk density, which uses a larger, porous volume and still relates to mass per that volume; and specific gravity, which is a dimensionless ratio comparing a material’s density to that of water. So the term describing weight per unit volume is specific weight.