How to use the calculator
- Enter the mass of your rock sample in grams (g). This is the total weight of the rock.
- Enter the volume of your rock sample in cubic centimeters (cm³). You can calculate this by submerging the rock in water and measuring the displacement, or by geometric measurements if the rock has a regular shape.
- Click the Calculate button to compute the density.
- The calculator will display the density in g/cm³, along with the formula used for calculation.
Understanding Rock Density
Rock density is defined as the mass of a rock sample divided by its volume. It is typically expressed in units of grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³) or kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³). Density is an important physical property of rocks and minerals that helps in their identification and classification.
Practical Applications
- Geologists use density to identify different types of rocks and minerals.
- Density measurements help determine the porosity of rock formations.
- In petroleum exploration, density helps in reservoir characterization.
- Density affects how rocks behave in different environments, such as underwater or in gravity surveys.
Example Calculation
If you have a rock sample with a mass of 85 grams and a volume of 25 cm³, the density would be:
density = 85 g / 25 cm³ = 3.4 g/cm³