How is density typically expressed?

Density is typically expressed as mass per unit volume, providing a measure of how much matter is contained within a specific volume of a substance. The most common unit for expressing density in scientific contexts is grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³). This unit is particularly useful for solids and liquids, where it is essential to understand how much mass is present in a standard volume of the material.

For example, water has a density of approximately 1 g/cm³ at room temperature, which indicates that one cubic centimeter of water has a mass of one gram. This provides a clear and practical measurement framework for comparing densities of different substances and is widely used in laboratory settings.

The other options include units that do not accurately convey density in the standard way typically used in scientific literature or education. Grams per cubic meter does express density, but it is less common for smaller volumes where grams per cubic centimeter is preferred. Cubic centimeters per gram is a measure of volume per unit mass, which is the reciprocal of density and is not conventionally used to express density directly. Meters per liter mixes units of length and volume in a way that does not represent density at all. Thus, grams per cubic centimeter remains the most recognized and standard expression of density.