Florida DOT Concrete Batchman/Operator Practice Exam

What is the specific gravity of water?

1. 0.5

2. 1

3. 1.5

4. 2

The correct answer is: 1

The specific gravity of water is defined as the ratio of the density of water to the density of a reference substance, which is typically water itself at a standard temperature and pressure. Since the specific gravity of a substance is a dimensionless quantity and is defined relative to an equivalent volume of water, the specific gravity of pure water is universally recognized as 1. This means that water serves as the baseline for comparison of the specific gravities of other substances. When comparing specific gravities, a specific gravity less than 1 indicates a substance that is less dense than water, while a specific gravity greater than 1 indicates a denser substance. Thus, in this case, the correct choice accurately reflects that the specific gravity of water is 1.