Which fuel oil test determines density-related properties by comparing weight to volume?

Which fuel oil test determines density-related properties by comparing weight to volume?

• A. Viscosity test
• B. Flash point test
• C. Specific gravity test
• D. Cloud point test

Answer: (C)

Density is about how much mass sits in a given volume. Specific gravity is the test that captures this by comparing the weight of a fixed volume of liquid to the weight of the same volume of water. Since it’s a ratio of densities, the result is dimensionless, and it directly reflects how dense the fuel oil is. In practice, you might weigh a known volume of fuel and compare it to the weight of the same volume of water; if the fuel weighs less than water for the same volume, its specific gravity is less than 1, and you can relate that to properties like API gravity and energy per unit volume. The other tests measure different properties: viscosity tracks flow resistance, flash point is about ignition temperature, and cloud point is about when wax crystals form with cooling.

Density is about how much mass sits in a given volume. Specific gravity is the test that captures this by comparing the weight of a fixed volume of liquid to the weight of the same volume of water. Since it’s a ratio of densities, the result is dimensionless, and it directly reflects how dense the fuel oil is. In practice, you might weigh a known volume of fuel and compare it to the weight of the same volume of water; if the fuel weighs less than water for the same volume, its specific gravity is less than 1, and you can relate that to properties like API gravity and energy per unit volume. The other tests measure different properties: viscosity tracks flow resistance, flash point is about ignition temperature, and cloud point is about when wax crystals form with cooling.