How do you find the density of something like a mineral?

1 Answer
Dec 19, 2017

How else but by measurement....?

Explanation:

And we take the quotient....#rho_"density"="mass"/"volume"#...to get an answer with units of #g*mL^-1# or #g*cm^-3#...

Specific gravity, relates the density to the density of a reference substance,,,,usually water, for which #rho_"water"=1*g*cm^-3# under standard conditions.

The mass of a mineral is easy to measure....the volume may be approached by water displacement....