Equivalently, it may also be formulated as the product of density, ρ, and gravity acceleration, g:
[1] The density of a material is defined as mass divided by volume, typically expressed in units of kg/m3.
Unlike density, specific weight is not a fixed property of a material, as it depends on the value of the gravitational acceleration, which varies with location (e.g., Earth's gravity).
[2] Specific weight is often used as a property of soil to solve earthwork problems.
In soil mechanics, specific weight may refer to: Specific weight can be used in civil engineering and mechanical engineering to determine the weight of a structure designed to carry certain loads while remaining intact and remaining within limits regarding deformation.