noun
gravity
The density of a substance compared with a standard.
The technician measures the liquid's specific gravity with a hydrometer.
Etymology
The word derives from heaviness or weight. In specific gravity, that physical idea becomes a comparison of a substance’s density with the density of a reference substance.
More examples
- The oil's specific gravity is lower than that of water.
- Brewers check the wort's gravity before and after fermentation.
- The two liquids have different specific gravities.
Forms
gravity · gravities
Similar words
- specific gravity
- Explicitly names the density ratio that gravity denotes here.
- density
- Measures mass per volume without comparison to a standard.