This required practical covers Required Practical: Measuring Density within Density for GCSE Physics. Revise Density in Particle Model for GCSE Physics with 13 exam-style questions and 30 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 4 of 13 in this topic. Revise both the method and the reason for each step, because practical questions often test understanding rather than pure recall.
Topic position
Section 4 of 13
Practice
13 questions
Recall
30 flashcards
🔬 Required Practical: Measuring Density
For REGULAR shapes (cube, cuboid, cylinder):
- Measure mass using a balance (kg or g)
- Measure dimensions with ruler/vernier calipers
- Calculate volume using geometry:
• Cuboid: V = length × width × height
• Cylinder: V = πr²h - Calculate density: ρ = m / V
For IRREGULAR shapes (stones, random objects):
- Measure mass using a balance
- Use displacement method:
• Fill measuring cylinder partially with water
• Record initial volume (V₁)
• Lower object into water (fully submerged)
• Record new volume (V₂) - Volume of object = V₂ - V₁
- Calculate density: ρ = m / V
Sources of error:
- Parallax error when reading water level
- Air bubbles on irregular objects
- Objects that absorb water