Name:
Per.:
Date:
Igneous Rock Density Lab
Objective: To compare the densities of continental and oceanic crust.
Hypothesis
Materials:
Rocks
Goggles
Graduated cylinders
Balances
Cups or Containers
Procedure
1. Record the name of the rock. Write a description of its appearance. Make a sketch.
2. Calculate & record the density of each rock by displacement. BE CAREFUL WHEN WORKING WITH THE GLASS GRADUATED CYLINDERS.
Add and remove rocks CAREFULLY so that you do NOT BREAK THE GLASS. You must have your goggles on when working with
glassware.
3. Calculate and record the mass of each rock by using the balances. (Don’t forget to “zero” the balance!)
4. Determine density by dividing Mass by Volume (D = m )and record units in g\mL.
v
Results
CONTINENTAL CRUST
ROCK TYPE
1
Description &
Sketch
Mass (g)
(Don’t forget to zero the
balance)
Volume by Displacement
(mL)
Final
-Initial
____________
2
3
AVERAGE DENSITY:
CLASS RESULTS
CLASS AVERAGE FOR
DENSITY:
Density
(g mL)
D=m
v
Results
OCEANIC CRUST ROCK
TYPE
1
Description &
Sketch
Mass (g)
(Don’t forget to zero the
balance)
Volume by Displacement
(mL)
Final
-Initial
____________
2
3
AVERAGE DENSITY:
CLASS RESULTS
CLASS AVERAGE FOR
DENSITY:
Density
(g mL)
D=m
v
Conclusion Questions: Please type or neatly write out on a separate sheet of paper.
1. How did the results compare to the hypothesis? Was your hypothesis confirmed or rejected?
2. How did the density of rocks of the continental crust compare to that of oceanic crust? Be specific. Use data to support your statements.
Discuss your results and class results.
3. Research and report on the average densities of continental and oceanic crust (include a citation for the source of this information). Were
your results consistent (in agreement) with the data you found?
4. Research and discuss the reason for the difference in density between these two types of crust (Cite sources of data).