Abstract
Absolute measurements of water density with very small uncertainties on the order of 0.001 kg/m3 have previously been a metrological challenge, as is shown by measurements of the density of pure water performed in recent decades with different methods. However, using water as a reference liquid with a well-known density, it is possible to perform density measurements relative to this reference liquid by means of an oscillation-type density meter. Using this so-called substitution method, it is possible to obtain uncertainties of about 0.002 kg/m3 or a relative uncertainty of 2 × 10−6. The conversion from relative to absolute measurements is performed using a water density table. The uncertainty of this absolute measurement is given by the combination of the uncertainty of the relative measurement and the uncertainty given for the density table.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Thiesen M, Scheel K, Diesselhorst H (1900) Untersuchungen über die thermische Ausdehnung von festen und tropfbar flüssigen Körpern—bestimmung der Ausdehnung des Wassers für die zwischen 0° und 40° liegenden temperaturen. Wiss Abh Phys Tech Reichsanst 3:1–70
Thiesen M (1918) Untersuchungen über die thermische Ausdehnung von festen und tropfbar flüssigen Körpern—bestimmung der Ausdehnung des Wassers für temperaturen zwischen 50° und 100°. Wiss Abh Phys Tech Reichsanst 4:1–32
Chappuis P (1907) Dilatation de l’eau. Trav Mem Bur Int Poids Mes 13:D1–D40
Kell GS (1975) Density, thermal expansivity, and compressibility of liquid water from 0 to 150 °C: correlations and tables for atmospheric pressure and saturation reviewed and expressed on 1968 temperature scale. J Chem Eng Data 20:97–105. doi:10.1021/je60064a005
Bettin H, Spieweck F (1990) Die Dichte des Wassers als Funktion der temperatur nach Einführung der internationalen temperaturskala von 1990. PTB Mitt 100:195–196
Spieweck F, Bettin H (1992) Review: solid and liquid density determination. Tech Mess 59:285–292
Takenaka M, Masui R (1990) Measurement of the thermal expansion of pure water in the temperature range 0–85 °C. Metrologia 27:165–171; (1991)Erratum. Metrologia 28:107. doi:10.1088/0026-1394/28/2/009
Watanabe H (1991) Thermal dilatation of water between 0 and 44 °C. Metrologia 28:33–43. doi:10.1088/0026-1394/28/1/006
Patterson JB, Morris EC (1994) Measurement of absolute water density, 1–40 °C. Metrologia 31:277–288. doi:10.1088/0026-1394/31/4/001
Masui R, Fujii K, Takenaka M (1995/96) Determination of the absolute density of water at 16 °C and 0,101325 MPa. Metrologia 32:333–362. doi:10.1088/0026-1394/32/5/1
Tanaka M, Girard G, Davis R, Peuto A, Bignell N (2001) Recommended table for the density of water between 0 and 40 °C based on recent experimental reports. Metrologia 38:301–309. doi:10.1088/0026-1394/38/4/3
Wolf H, Bettin H, Gluschko A (2006) Water density measurement by a magnetic flotation apparatus. Meas Sci Technol 17:2581–2587. doi:10.1088/0957-0233/17/10/008
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Presented at the PTB Seminar “Conductivity and Salinity”, September 2007, Braunschweig, Germany.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wolf, H. Determination of water density: limitations at the uncertainty level of 1 × 10−6 . Accred Qual Assur 13, 587–591 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-008-0442-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00769-008-0442-2