At One Place

Ash

Density of ash
675 kg/m³ (600–720)
0.68 g/cm³ · 42.1 lb/ft³

The shock tool handle wood: it is springy and its long fibres resist splitting under repeated impact better than any denser timber, which is why hickory and ash handles outlasted every attempt to replace them with steel. It bends well with steam and machines cleanly. Emerald ash borer has devastated North American stocks and ash dieback has done the same in Europe, so supply is now the limiting factor rather than the wood's properties.

Properties

Density
675 kg/m³ (600–720) — 0.68 g/cm³
Young's modulus
12 GPa
Floats in water
Yes
Magnetic
No

What it is used for

  • Axe, hammer and spade handles
  • Baseball bats and hurleys
  • Bentwood furniture
  • Car and aircraft frames (historically)

How it compares

Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.

air 1.2 kg/m³
expanded polystyrene foam 20 kg/m³
rigid polyurethane foam 40 kg/m³
ash 675 kg/m³
Water — the float line 1,000 kg/m³
tungsten 19,250 kg/m³
gold 19,300 kg/m³
platinum 21,450 kg/m³
Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything below that floats.
Material Density Relative to water
rigid polyurethane foam 40 kg/m³ 0.04×
expanded polystyrene foam 20 kg/m³ 0.02×
air 1.2 kg/m³ 0.00×
ash ← 675 kg/m³ 0.68×
platinum 21,450 kg/m³ 21.45×
gold 19,300 kg/m³ 19.30×
tungsten 19,250 kg/m³ 19.25×

Does it rust?

Ash contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.

Is it magnetic?

Ash is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

Common questions

What is the density of ash?
675 kg/m³ (600–720), or 0.68 g/cm³.
Does ash float?
Yes. At 675 kg/m³ it is less dense than water's 1,000.
Is ash magnetic?
Ash is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked