Specific gravity
Definition
Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance, usually water.
Analogy
Think of specific gravity as a measure of how "heavy" or dense a substance is compared to water. It's like comparing how much space an object takes up in your backpack compared to how much space a textbook takes up.
Related terms
Density: The mass per unit volume of a substance.
Buoyancy: The upward force exerted on an object submerged in a fluid.
Archimedes' Principle: States that the buoyant force on an object is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.
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