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Monterino Overson

Density range of table salt?

Asim Qureshi  Follow

The density of table salt is 1200 mg/cm³ according to the USDA.

The USDA nutrition label for salt lists the density as 18 g/tbsp. That seems to be rounded to 0 decimals. However, the nutrition label also state that there are 6976 mg Na in 1 tbsp. Using that value and the atomic weights of Na and Cl, the calculated density is 17.77 g/tbsp, a more precise value. The density then is 1200 mg/cm³, rounded to 0 decimal places.

Doing the same calculations with the data for Morton table salt, 590 mg Na in .25 tsp, gives a density of 1218 mg/cm³. However, since 590 mg seems to be rounded to the nearest 10 mg, I think the USDA number is more precise.

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Gabriel Surge  Follow
Double Argh. Proofed it again after correction. I think I got this time. Thanks @ToddMinehardtMore
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Jim  Follow
As it reads, you have the density at 1.2 kg/cc. I think you might need to go in and do some editing -More
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Joshua McClure  Follow
@WayneGoode - Still no. I will edit it.More
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Nate Wyatt  Follow

The density of $\pu{2.17 g/cm³}$ refers to the bulk density, i.e. within a crystal of NaCl. In chemical engineering, the terms of powder density, tapped powder density and settled apparent density take into account for the air between the grains of a solid. Especially the later recognizes that there may be a difference between the solid simply poured into a container, and after light compression (still with air gaps between the grains) after applying a little pressure e.g. if you shake and knock the tin filling with freshly ground coffee powder.

References like this, this, this, or this .pdf state powder densities of $\pu{1.378 g/cm³}$ (fine table salt), $\pu{1.282 g/cm^3}$ (granulated salt, again from here), and $\pu{1.089 g/cm^3}$ (rock salt). From these values, your estimate of $\pu{1.40 g/cm^3}$ seems plausible.

However, these data lack to state the typical size of the grains (think about the diameter), as well as the dispersion of the grain sizes (presence of larger and smaller grains, equally known as particle-size distribution) of the samples characterized. Both influence the packing of the grains and thus the recorded density. In this perspective, the softer / more airy harvest of fleur de sel possibly packs much less dense.

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Imasha Dewmini Perera  Follow
coatingMore
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Douglas Bush  Follow
reference density measurements, not only practical ones (More
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Hanlie Wessels  Follow
I dont wonder bodies like More
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Ernest Leung  Follow
nuclear fuelMore
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Jennifer Kong  Follow
) up to More
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