Water
Density of water
1,000 kg/m³ (958–1,000)
1.00 g/cm³ · 62.4 lb/ft³
Exactly 1000 kg/m³ at 4 °C by historical definition, which is why one litre weighs one kilogram and why every density on this page can be read as "times heavier than water". It is densest at 4 °C rather than at freezing — the anomaly that makes ice float, lets lakes freeze from the top down, and is the reason aquatic life survives winter. Seawater is about 1025 kg/m³, which is why you float more easily in the sea, and the 958 kg/m³ low here is water at boiling point.
Properties
- Density
- 1,000 kg/m³ (958–1,000) — 1.00 g/cm³
- Melting point
- 0 °C
- Thermal conductivity
- 0.6 W/(m·K)
- Floats in water
- No
- Magnetic
- No
What it is used for
- The reference for specific gravity and for "does it float"
- Coolant and heat transfer fluid
- Concrete mixing and curing
- Hydraulic testing and ballast
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
Water — the float line 1,000 kg/m³
tungsten 19,250 kg/m³
gold 19,300 kg/m³
platinum 21,450 kg/m³
| 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× |
| water ← | 1,000 kg/m³ | 1.00× |
| platinum | 21,450 kg/m³ | 21.45× |
| gold | 19,300 kg/m³ | 19.30× |
| tungsten | 19,250 kg/m³ | 19.25× |
Does it rust?
Water contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.
Is it magnetic?
Water is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.
Common questions
- What is the density of water?
- 1,000 kg/m³ (958–1,000), or 1.00 g/cm³.
- Does water float?
- No. At 1,000 kg/m³ it is denser than water.
- Is water magnetic?
- Water is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.
Related pages
Sources
- United States Geological Survey — USGS (Public domain (US Government))