This section is from the book "A Manual Of Home-Making", by Martha Van Rensselaer. Also available from Amazon: A Manual of Home-Making.
Densities Of Some Household Materials
Substance | Temperature in degrees centigrade | Density in grams to the cubic centimeter |
Air, dry................................ | 20 (68° F.) | 0.001205 |
Air (of 50 per cent humidity)............. | 20 | 0.001195 |
Brine (5 parts by weight of salt in 100 parts of | 15 | 1.035 |
Brine (25 parts by weight of salt in 100 parts brine)............................... | 15 | 1.191 |
Butter................................. | 0.86 to 0.87 | |
Cider vinegar........................... | 1.013 to 1.015 | |
Cream * (18 per cent butter fat).......... | 20 | 1.01 |
Cream (40 per cent butter fat)............ | 20 | 0.99 |
Gasoline............................... | 20 | 0.70 to 0.74 |
* Minimum butter-fat content for cream (definition of Bureau of Chemistry).
Substance | Temperature in degrees centigrade | Density in grams to the cubic centimeter |
Ice.................................... | 0.92 | |
Kerosene............................... | 20 | 0.78 to 0.82 |
Lard .............. | 0.92 | |
Linseed oil ............... | 20 | 0.92 to 0.93 |
Milk.................................. | 20 | 1.028 to 1.032 |
Olive oil............................... | 20 | 0.91 |
Sea water.............................. | 15 | 1.023 to 1.025 |
sirup, maple * | 17.5 | 1.32 to 1.34 |
Tallow................................. | 0.91 to 0.97 | |
Turpentine............................. | 20 | 0.86 to 0.87 |
* The density of maple sirup varies from 1.32 with 35 per cent of water to 1.34 with 32 per cent of water.
The hydrometer to be chosen for household use will depend on the purpose for which it is intended, the degree of accuracy required, and to some extent on the personal preference of the user. The specific gravity hydrometer is recommended for most purposes.
For use in making sirups, preserves, and the like, an instrument indicating specific gravity in terms of water at 60° F., or one reading in Baume" degrees will be found convenient. The hydrometer should have a range of about 1.00 to 1.50 in specific gravity or 1 to 50 in Baume degrees, and should be so graduated that the readings can be conveniently made.
 
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