API Gravity Formula:
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Definition: API gravity is a measure of how heavy or light a petroleum liquid is compared to water.
Purpose: It's used by the petroleum industry to classify crude oil and petroleum products.
The calculator uses the formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula compares the density of the petroleum liquid to water (SG = 1.0).
Details: API gravity is important for:
Tips: Enter the specific gravity of your petroleum liquid (must be > 0). The specific gravity is the ratio of the density of the liquid to the density of water.
Q1: What does API stand for?
A: API stands for American Petroleum Institute, which developed this measurement scale.
Q2: What's considered "light" crude oil?
A: Crude oil with API gravity > 31.1° is considered light, between 22.3° and 31.1° is medium, and < 22.3° is heavy.
Q3: How is specific gravity measured?
A: Specific gravity is typically measured using a hydrometer or digital density meter at standard conditions (60°F/15.6°C).
Q4: What's the API gravity of water?
A: Water has an API gravity of 10° (when SG = 1.0).
Q5: Can API gravity be negative?
A: Yes, for very dense materials (SG > 1.076), API gravity can be negative.