The reciprocal of density is called what?

The reciprocal of density is called what?

• A. Specific Volume
• B. Density
• C. Viscosity
• D. Thermal Conductivity

Answer: (A)

Think about what density measures: mass per unit volume. If you take the inverse, you get volume per unit mass. That quantity is called specific volume. So, v = V/m = 1/ρ. In SI units, it’s typically expressed as cubic meters per kilogram (m^3/kg). Specific volume is useful because it directly links how much space a given amount of material occupies, which helps in calculations involving mass, volume, and state changes. The other properties listed—viscosity (resistance to shear) and thermal conductivity (how well a material conducts heat)—are different physical attributes and are not the reciprocal of density.

Think about what density measures: mass per unit volume. If you take the inverse, you get volume per unit mass. That quantity is called specific volume. So, v = V/m = 1/ρ. In SI units, it’s typically expressed as cubic meters per kilogram (m^3/kg). Specific volume is useful because it directly links how much space a given amount of material occupies, which helps in calculations involving mass, volume, and state changes. The other properties listed—viscosity (resistance to shear) and thermal conductivity (how well a material conducts heat)—are different physical attributes and are not the reciprocal of density.