Thanks for the ideas, but yep, this is getting a bit deep for me!
Since this is my very first ever attempt at an emulsion, I want to keep it simple. I have cut and pasted those ideas into my blog of notes for future reference, though!
But, I have had my own 'eureka' moment.
After looking up specific gravity on wikipedia (no limits to the depth of my technical research!) I went to work and whilst driving along... bingo!
Specific gravity is the relative density of something at 20 degrees C compared to an equal volume of water at 3.98 degress C. Water at this temp weighs 1 gram per 1 millilitre, if I have understood this correctly. Therefore if I am making about 20ml of 0.880 ammonia (and .88 is the specific gravity, I think that is what the number means?) then 20ml, for example, should weigh 0.88 X 20 = 17.6 grammes.
I was lucky enough to pick up a really good laboratory chemical balance a few years ago, for mixing developers, that should weigh to with 0.1 gram and I've a good quality graduated cylinder which should get me to within 1ml - so If I fill a previously weighed bottle and stopper with a carefully meaasured volume of my freshly made ammonia and re-weigh it, I should be able to calculate the s.g. of this within a few percent. The more I make, the more the error goes down.
Does this make sense? Can anyone see a flaw in this method?
(And if not, can I name it after myself?!)
Right, I'm off to try burning some marble with a blowtorch (I need the quicklime to dry the ammonia
Steve