Table of Densities of Common Substances

Here's a table of densities of common substances, including several gases, liquids, and solids. Density is a measure of the amount of mass contained in a unit of volume. The general trend is that most gases are less dense than liquids, which are in turn less dense than solids, but there are numerous exceptions. For this reason, the table lists density from lowest to highest and includes the state of matter.

Note that the density of pure water is defined to be 1 gram per cubic centimeter (or, g/ml). Unlike most substances, water is denser as a liquid than as a solid. A consequence is that ice floats on water. Also, pure water is less dense than seawater, so fresh water can float on top of salt water, mixing at the interface.

The Factors That Affect Density

Density depends on temperature and pressure. For solids, it's also affected by the way atoms and molecules stack together. A pure substance can take many forms, which don't have the same properties. For example, carbon can take the form of graphite or diamond. Both are chemically identical, but they do not share an identical density value.

To convert these density values into kilograms per cubic meter, multiply any of the numbers by 1000.

Densities of Common Substances