boratory of Petroleum and Gas Properties

2. Density and Specific Gravity (Hydrometer)

The aim of this experiment

This
test
method
covers
the
laboratory
determination of the density, relative density
(specific gravity), or API gravity of crude
petroleum, petroleum products, or mixtures of
petroleum using a glass hydrometer,
Theory
The density () of a substance is its weight per unit volume.

Specific gravity (SG) For liquid systems, the SG is

defined as the ratio of density of a liquid to that of
water, and therefore, it is a dimensionless quantity.
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boratory of Petroleum and Gas Properties

The American Petroleum Institute Gravity (API

gravity), is a measure of how heavy or light a
petroleum liquid is compared
to water.

roleum is lighter than water and floats:

roleum is heavier than water and sinks:

API gravity >

API gravity <

Hydrometer
Hydrometer is considered the simplest and the
fastest method in determination of specific gravity
of a liquid.
The operation of the hydrometer is based on the
Archimedes principle that a solid suspended in a
fluid will be buoyed up by a force equal to the
weight of the fluid displaced.
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boratory of Petroleum and Gas Properties

Thus, the lighter the liquid (that is, the less its
specific gravity), the deeper the body sinks
because a greater amount of liquid is required to
equal the body's weight.
A hydrometer is usually
made of glass and consists
of a cylindrical stem and a
bulb weighted with mercury
or lead shot to make it float
upright.
Hydrometers
usually
contain a scale inside the
stem, so that the specific
gravity can be read directly.
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boratory of Petroleum and Gas Properties

is important to know that most hydrometers are calibrated o

5.5 0C.

Where:
Sp.grr= Hydrometer reading at the reference
temperature, r oC
Sp.grt = Hydrometer reading on hydrometer scale
o
0
3
whose
reference
temperature
is
t
C
Density of water at 15 C is 0.999099 g/cm
Materials and apparatus
1. Hydrometer ,
2. Thermometer,
Graduated cylinder
4. Funnel
liquid (Sample) 6. Stirring road

3.
5. Tested
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boratory of Petroleum and Gas Properties

The procedure:
a) Fill the cylinder with the sample.
b) Insert the thermometer in the sample
c) Stir the sample slowly with a stirring road to
ensure uniform temperature
d) Record the temperature of the liquid by the
thermometer (t) and remove the thermometer
e) Lower the hydrometer into the liquid and release
it carefully, taking care to avoid wetting the stem
above the level at which it floats freely.
f) When the hydrometer has come to rest floating
freely away from the walls of the cylinder and
away from the bottom of cylinder , read the
hydrometer scale
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boratory of Petroleum and Gas Properties

Hydrometer
Scale Reading

boratory of Petroleum and Gas Properties

Calculations
- Calculate the specific gravity of the sample at 20
o
C
- Calculate the density of the sample at 20 oC

Discussion and Conclusion

1. Compare your result (specific gravity and the
density of the sample) with any references.
2. At which time of the day, tanking your car is
the cheapest? Why?