How much does a liter of olive oil weigh? Is it an indication of quality?

In this article we will go back to the classroom to dredge up some basic chemistry concepts for calculating the specific gravity of oil. How much does weight affect product quality?

How much does a liter of extra virgin olive oil weigh? Very often we find ourselves in our daily lives having to answer simple questions about certain topics that we have already studied, but that. we have simply forgotten. That of the specific gravity extra virgin olive oil is certainly one of the first notions of chemistry we learned in school, so you will have no difficulty in continuing with the reading of this article.

Before knowing how to measure a liter of oil, it is necessary to remember that not all liquids weigh the same, as each substance in nature have a particular volume and by weight. In fact, calculating the specific gravity olive oil is actually equivalent to quantifying the density of the oil. Measuring the density of a liquid means calculating the ratio existing between the mass and volume of the oil, that is,“dividing the weight of the body itself expressed in kilograms into the value of its volume expressed in cubic meters, or in grams over cubic decimeters, ” according to this formula:

Ps = P / V

Olive oil specific gravity: how much is one liter of oil.

Although most of us are inclined to assume that one liter is equivalent to one kilogram, the density of an extra virgin olive oil is lower than that of water. To make this obvious, just do the classic oil-in-water experiment. If we pour a drop of oil into a basin full of water, it will remain on the surface, as it is less dense. Therefore, if a liter of water is exactly equivalent to a kilogram, this is not the case when weighing olive oil, which is by nature lighter in volume and quantity, not only compared to water, but also compared to other liquids.

Specific weight Extra virgin olive oil

To weigh oil more reliably, we must rely on international standard measurements, which have as a reference point the density of water, which is equal to one, or 1 liter = 1 kg. In the International System of Units , the specific gravity of olive oil is about 916 grams per cubic decimeter and can vary up to about 920 grams per cubic decimeter.

Such variation in density is not an indication of low quality of the olive oil, but may depend on many factors, such as, for example, olive maceration techniques, temperature and the same variety of the starting olives. For example, in the selection offered by Frantoio Congedi you can verify this difference by comparing two excellent extra virgin olive oils: one Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Light and another variety of Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Intense. Always remember, however, that the specific weight of the oil in no way affects its quality, but is representative, rather of the wide variety of olive trees in the area.