What kind of density does gas have

The volume units milliliter mL and cubic centimeter cm 3 are identical and are commonly used interchangeably. The general meaning of density is the amount of anything per unit volume. What we conventionally call the "density" is more precisely known as the "mass density".

Density can be expressed in any combination of mass and volume units; the most commonly seen units are grams per mL g mL —1 , g cm —3 , or kilograms per liter. The range of densities encountered in the world spans a remarkably wide range, from essentially zero in outer space to the unimaginably huge values found in stellar bodies.

These very high densities represent the ultimate limits of how much mass can be packed into a given volume. The following chart will give you some feeling for the values of density found in nature generally top , in common solids middle , and in gases and liquids bottom.

In general, gases have the lowest densities, but these densities are highly dependent on the pressure and temperature which must always be specified. To the extent that a gas exhibits ideal behavior low pressure, high temperature , the density of a gas is directly proportional to the masses of its component atoms, and thus to its molecular weight.

Measurement of the density of a gas is a simple experimental way of estimating its molecular weight. Liquids encompass an intermediate range of densities. Mercury, being a liquid metal, is something of an outlier. Liquid densities are largely independent of pressure, but they are somewhat temperature-sensitive. The density range of solids is quite wide.

The particles in solids are very close together. They are tightly packed, giving solids high densities. The particles in liquids are close together. Although they are randomly arranged, they are still tightly packed, giving liquids high densities. The density of a substance as a liquid is usually only slightly less than its density as a solid. For example, the density of solid aluminium is 2.

As you know, density is defined as the mass per unit volume of a substance. Since gases all occupy the same volume on a per mole basis, the density of a particular gas is dependent on its molar mass. A gas with a small molar mass will have a lower density than a gas with a large molar mass. Gas density can be calculated from molar mass and molar volume. Molar mass divided by molar volume yields the gas density at STP.