How do you define specific gravity? What is its significance???

- July 31, 2020 at 2:53 pm
  
  Karthik Remella
  Administrator
  
  Hello,
  How do you define specific gravity? What is its significance?
  Thank you!
- July 31, 2020 at 2:54 pm
  
  prajput
  Ansys Employee
  
  Hello @prajput
  Specific Gravity (SG) is a dimensionless representation of density of a substance, and is a good indicator of whether an object will float or sink in water. It is defined as ratio of the density of a substance to the maximum density of water. It so happens that this maximum density of water is equal to 1000 kg /m^3 at 4 degC.
- July 31, 2020 at 2:54 pm
  
  Keyur Kanade
  Ansys Employee
  
  The primary reason for using specific gravity is to ensure a consistent measure between the various systems of units (SI, US etc.). Materials with SG close to 1 are neutrally buoyant in water. Those with SG > 1 have a tendency to sink in water. Substances with SG < 1 are less dense than water and have a tendency to float in it.