die Dichte
density
A physical quantity that describes the ratio of a substance's mass to its volume.
EXAMPLE
Gold hat eine viel höhere Dichte als Aluminium.
Gold has a much higher density than aluminum.
die Dichte
density
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Meanings
die Dichte
density
The measure of how closely packed or concentrated something is in a particular space or area. It often refers to population, traffic, forest, or also information.
EXAMPLE
Die Bevölkerungsdichte ist in den Innenstädten am höchsten.
Population density is highest in inner cities.
Usage tips
Word family
The noun 'die Dichte' (density) is derived directly from the adjective 'dicht' (dense, compact, impermeable). If you understand 'dicht' (dense), you can easily infer the meaning of 'Dichte' (density) as a measure of concentration.
EXAMPLE
Der Nebel war heute Morgen sehr dicht.
The fog was very dense this morning.
Use with adjectives
'Dichte' (density) is almost always combined with the adjectives 'hoch' (high), 'gering' (low), 'groß' (great), or 'klein' (small) to describe the degree of concentration.
EXAMPLE
Wasser hat bei 4°C seine größte Dichte.
Water has its greatest density at 4°C.
Typical compounds
In its figurative meaning, 'Dichte' (density) is often used as the second part of compound words. Common examples are 'Bevölkerungsdichte' (population density), 'Verkehrsdichte' (traffic density), or 'Informationsdichte' (information density).
EXAMPLE
Die Verkehrsdichte in der Innenstadt ist während der Stoßzeiten enorm.
Traffic density in the city center is enormous during rush hour.
Compare with
Dichte vs Konzentration
concentration
Konzentration and Dichte can both indicate how much of something is contained in a given space. Konzentration refers to the amount of a substance in a mixture or solution, whereas Dichte means the ratio of a substance’s mass to its volume. Choose the word according to this reference quantity.
Dichte
Die Dichte dieses Metalls ist wegen seiner großen Masse sehr hoch.
This metal has a very high density because of its large mass.
Konzentration
Die Konzentration von Zucker in der Lösung ist heute besonders hoch.
The concentration of sugar in the solution is particularly high today.
In real life
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