How to Perform a Specific Gravity of Asphalt
- 1). Obtain a small chunk of asphalt that will fit into your beaker or graduated cylinder.
- 2). Use your balance to determine the mass of the chunk of asphalt. For example, suppose your asphalt chunk had a mass of 350 g.
- 3). Fill your beaker or graduated cylinder to the halfway point with water, and write down the volume of the water. Then place your chunk of asphalt into the water and record the new volume in the beaker or graduated cylinder. Calculate the volume of the asphalt by subtracting the volume of the water alone from the volume of the water and asphalt combined. For example, suppose that water rose from the 500 mL mark to the 750 mL mark when you placed the asphalt in the beaker or graduated cylinder:
Volume of asphalt = 750 mL - 500 mL = 250 mL - 4). Calculate the density of the asphalt by dividing its mass by its volume. In the example, the calculation would look like this:
Density of asphalt = 350 g / 250 mL = 1.4 g/mL - 5). Calculate the specific gravity of the asphalt by dividing its density by the density of water. In the example, the calculation would look like this:
Specific gravity of asphalt = 1.4 g/mL / 1.0 g/mL = 1.4
The specific gravity of your asphalt sample would be 1.4.
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