How dense is lead? Pure solid lead has a density of about 11.34 g/cm3 (11,340 kg/m3) at room temperature. In US units, that is about 708 lb per cubic foot, 0.41 lb per cubic inch, or 94.6 lb per US gallon. As a result, lead is about 11.3 times denser than water.
How Dense Is Lead in Other Units? Convert It
The converter starts at 11.34 g/cm3, the standard value for pure lead. Change the number or the unit, and it then shows the same density in metric and US units. For example, you can enter a value you measured yourself for a fishing sinker or a wheel weight.
Lead is the metal people reach for when something has to be small and heavy. Think of fishing sinkers, diving belts, wheel weights, keel ballast and the aprons a dentist drapes over you before an X-ray. All of them rely on one property: a lot of mass packed into very little space.
So, how dense is lead in plain terms? A single cubic centimeter, about the size of a sugar cube, weighs 11.34 grams. A one-liter milk carton filled with lead would weigh about 25 pounds. The US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) lists the specific gravity of lead as 11.34 in its Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. In other words, lead is 11.34 times as heavy as the same volume of water.
Below, you will find a units chart, a comparison with other metals, a simple way to check a piece of lead at home, and the safety basics. Because lead is toxic, the safety part matters as much as the numbers.
Lead Density Chart: Metric and US Units
All values below use 11.34 g/cm3 and the exact NIST definitions of the pound, inch and gallon. In addition, the right-hand column turns each number into something you can picture.
| Unit | Lead density | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| g/cm3 (same as g/mL) | 11.34 | A 1 cm cube weighs 11.34 g |
| kg/m3 | 11,340 | A 1 m cube weighs 11.34 metric tons |
| kg/L | 11.34 | 1 liter of lead weighs about 25.0 lb |
| lb/ft3 | 707.9 | A 1 ft cube weighs about 708 lb (321 kg) |
| lb/in3 | 0.4097 | A 1 in cube weighs about 6.55 oz (185.8 g) |
| lb/US gal | 94.64 | A gallon of lead weighs about 42.9 kg |
You can also run the numbers the other way. For instance, 1 pound of lead takes up about 40 cm3 (2.44 cubic inches), and 1 ounce takes up about 2.5 cm3. That is why a 1 oz sinker is barely bigger than a grape.
How Dense Is Lead Compared With Other Metals?
Lead feels heavy in the hand, yet it is not the densest metal. In fact, gold, tungsten, mercury and platinum all beat it. Still, lead is far denser than the everyday metals around a home or workshop.
| Material | Density (g/cm3) | Compared with lead |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | 2.70 | Lead is about 4.2 times denser |
| Steel (carbon) | about 7.85 | Lead is about 1.44 times denser |
| Copper | 8.96 | Lead is about 1.27 times denser |
| Silver | 10.49 | Lead is about 8% denser |
| Lead | 11.34 | – |
| Mercury (liquid) | 13.53 | About 1.19 times denser than lead |
| Tungsten | 19.25 | About 1.70 times denser than lead |
| Gold | 19.32 | About 1.70 times denser than lead |
| Osmium (densest element) | 22.59 | About twice as dense as lead |
One fun consequence: because mercury is denser, a lump of solid lead floats on liquid mercury. Similarly, you can compare lead with everyday liquids in our guides on how dense water is and how dense cooking and motor oil are.
Recommended Tools for Measuring the Density of Lead
To check a density yourself, you need two numbers: mass and volume. First, a pocket scale that reads to 0.01 g handles small pieces such as sinkers. Next, a glass graduated cylinder lets you read volume by water displacement. Also, a digital caliper measures regular shapes such as bars and sheet. Finally, a lead test kit helps you check whether an unknown metal or a painted surface contains lead at all.
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Why Is Lead So Dense?
Two things set the density of any metal: how heavy each atom is, and how tightly the atoms pack together. Lead scores high on the first. Each lead atom has 82 protons, and lead has a standard atomic weight of about 207.2, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry periodic table. That makes a lead atom roughly 3.7 times heavier than an iron atom.
The atoms also pack closely. Lead forms a face-centered cubic crystal, which is one of the tightest ways to stack spheres. However, lead atoms are also fairly large, so lead ends up less dense than gold or tungsten. Those metals combine heavy atoms with smaller atomic spacing.
How Dense Is Lead When Hot or Molten?
Like most solids, lead expands slightly when it warms up, so its density drops a little. At room temperature the figure is 11.34 g/cm3. At the boiling point of water (100 C, 212 F), it falls to roughly 11.26 g/cm3, a change of less than 1%.
The bigger jump comes at melting. Lead melts at about 327.5 C (621.4 F). Molten lead just above that point has a density of roughly 10.7 g/cm3, so a casting shrinks a few percent as it cools. That is why lead castings can show a small dip or void on the top surface. Lead boils at about 1,749 C (3,180 F), far above anything a hobby caster should approach.
How Dense Is Lead in Alloys and Real Objects?
Pure lead is 11.34 g/cm3, but many “lead” objects are alloys. Adding lighter metals such as tin or antimony lowers the density, so a measured value below 11.3 often means an alloy rather than a mistake.
| Object or alloy | Typical make-up | Approximate density (g/cm3) |
|---|---|---|
| Pure (soft) lead: sheet, flashing, some sinkers | 99.9% lead | 11.34 |
| Hardened lead (bullets, older wheel weights) | Lead with a few percent antimony | about 10.9 to 11.2 |
| 60/40 tin-lead solder | 60% tin, 40% lead by weight | about 8.5 |
| Tin (for comparison) | Pure tin | 7.29 |
The solder figure is an estimate from the densities of the two metals; real solder varies with its exact recipe. So use the table as a guide, not a specification.
Density vs Specific Gravity vs Weight
These three terms get mixed up constantly, so here is how they differ.
| Term | What it means | Value for lead |
|---|---|---|
| Density | Mass per unit volume | 11.34 g/cm3, 707.9 lb/ft3 |
| Specific gravity | Density divided by the density of water (no units) | 11.34 |
| Weight | How heavy one particular object is | Depends on size: a 1 in cube is about 6.55 oz |
Put simply, density belongs to the material, while weight belongs to the object. If you want to go further into the difference between mass and weight, see what mass is and how it is measured.
How to Measure How Dense Lead Is at Home
The water displacement method works for any irregular piece, such as a sinker or a scrap of flashing. Wear disposable gloves and wash your hands afterward.
- Weigh the piece. Place the dry lead on a scale that reads to 0.01 g and write down the mass in grams.
- Fill a graduated cylinder partway. Add enough water to cover the piece completely, then read the level at eye height.
- Lower the piece in gently. Tilt the cylinder and slide the metal down the side so it does not crack the glass or splash.
- Read the new level. Subtract the first reading from the second; the difference is the volume in mL, which equals cm3.
- Divide mass by volume. For example, 113.4 g divided by 10.0 mL gives 11.34 g/cm3.
- Convert the result. Enter your number in the converter above to see it in lb/ft3 or lb/in3.
Do and Don’t When Handling and Measuring Lead
Do
- Wear disposable gloves and wash your hands after handling.
- Use a dedicated cylinder that never goes back into the kitchen.
- Measure a larger sample for a more accurate result.
- Read the water level at eye height.
- Keep lead away from children and pets.
Don’t
- Eat, drink or smoke while you work with lead.
- Pour displacement water down a food sink.
- Sand, file or heat lead indoors without proper ventilation.
- Assume a heavy metal is lead without a test.
- Use kitchen scales or cups for lead work.
How Dense Is Lead Really? Honest Limits
The 11.34 g/cm3 figure describes pure, solid lead near room temperature. Real samples differ for several reasons. First, alloying metals such as tin and antimony lower the density. Second, castings can hold tiny air pockets, which also make a piece read light. Third, home measurements carry error from the scale, the cylinder markings and air bubbles clinging to the metal. Therefore, a home result between about 11.0 and 11.4 g/cm3 is consistent with lead or a lead alloy. On its own, though, it cannot prove purity. Reference books also round differently, so you will see 11.3, 11.34 and 11.35 quoted for the same metal.
When Accuracy and Safety Really Matter
Density tells you how much lead you have; it says nothing about how safe it is. Lead is toxic, and no safe level of exposure is known, especially for children. For that reason, keep these situations in mind:
- Casting and melting. Melting creates fumes and dross. Work outdoors or with proper ventilation, and never let water touch molten lead, since trapped water can turn to steam and spatter.
- Old paint and plumbing. Homes built before 1978 may contain lead paint. Use a lead test kit or hire a certified inspector before sanding or demolition.
- Workplaces. OSHA and NIOSH both set an 8-hour exposure limit of 0.050 mg of lead per cubic meter of air. Employers must follow the OSHA lead standard.
- Radiation shielding. Shielding thickness depends on the radiation type and energy. A licensed physicist or radiation safety officer must specify it, not a density table.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dense is lead in g/cm3?
Pure solid lead has a density of about 11.34 g/cm3 at room temperature. That equals 11,340 kg/m3 or 11.34 g/mL.
How dense is lead in pounds per cubic foot?
Lead weighs about 707.9 lb per cubic foot, so a 1 ft cube of lead weighs roughly 708 lb, or about 321 kg.
How much does a cubic inch of lead weigh?
A 1 inch cube of pure lead weighs about 185.8 g, which is about 6.55 ounces or 0.41 lb.
Is lead the densest metal?
No. Mercury, gold, tungsten, platinum and osmium are all denser. Osmium, at about 22.59 g/cm3, is the densest element and roughly twice as dense as lead.
How dense is lead compared with steel?
Lead is about 1.44 times denser than carbon steel. Steel is about 7.85 g/cm3, while lead is 11.34 g/cm3.
How much denser is lead than water?
Lead is about 11.3 times denser than water. Its specific gravity is 11.34, so it sinks quickly in water.
Does lead float on mercury?
Yes. Mercury has a density of about 13.53 g/cm3, which is higher than the 11.34 g/cm3 of lead, so solid lead floats on it.
What is the density of molten lead?
Molten lead just above its melting point of about 327.5 C (621.4 F) has a density of roughly 10.7 g/cm3, a few percent lower than solid lead.
How much does a gallon of lead weigh?
A US gallon of lead would weigh about 94.6 lb, or about 42.9 kg.
Why are tungsten sinkers smaller than lead ones?
Tungsten is about 70% denser than lead, at roughly 19.25 g/cm3, so the same weight takes up much less space.
How Dense Is Lead? The Bottom Line
To sum up, pure lead has a density of about 11.34 g/cm3, which is 11,340 kg/m3, 707.9 lb/ft3 or 0.41 lb/in3. That makes it 11.3 times denser than water and about 1.44 times denser than steel. Even so, it is well behind gold, tungsten and osmium.
If you measure your own piece, a result a little below 11.34 usually points to an alloy or trapped air. Above all, handle lead with gloves, keep it away from food and children, and use the converter at the top of this page whenever you need the number in a different unit.
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