Lunar Density

Investigation 8, Part 4

What is the formula for density?What is the density of an object that weighs

22 grams and has a volume of 4 cc.Mass in grams divided by volume in cc.5.5 g/cc

Warm up:

One of the pieces of information that researchers found out about the rock samples returned from the Moon was their densities.

We have some rock samples that are similar to those found on the Moon.OlivinePyroxeneIlmeniteFeldspar

Review the properties of these minerals on your Moon Rock and Mineral Key.

Lunar Density

These rocks are similar to our Moon rocks that we found when we did our Moon sampling.

We are going to figure the density of the four Moon rock minerals.

The information might help us understand some things about how the surface of the Moon took form.

Lab sheet 65 will guide the investigation.

Moon Samples

ScaleGraduated cylinders1 set of lunar mineralsPlastic cupsCalculator

Measure the density of each mineralRank your densitiesShare results

Materials

Which mineral is the densest?Which is the least dense?Why might there be differences between the

densities of different groups?Read lab sheet 65.Discuss the questions at the bottom of the lab

sheet.Answer questions on the bottom of the lab

sheet.

Review Results

What materials would you expect to find in the lunar highlands? Why?Feldspar. It is the least dense and would float to

the surface.What materials would you expect to find in the

maria? Why?Ilmenite, pyroxene and olivine. These minerals

would come to the surface due to volcanic activity.What would you expect to find deep in the

Moon’s mantle?Ilmenite. It is the most dense and would sink to the

bottom of the magma.

Discuss

Handout-Moon Rock Formation.Demonstration:If this was an accurate demonstration of what

happened in the early formation of the Moon’s crust and mantle, what lunar material or rock would be represented by our materials?

StrawFeldspar

Gravel Ilmenite

Rubber and plastic cubesOlivine and pyroxene

One Theory

How does this theory explain why we found certain rocks in the highlands that we did not find in the maria?

What questions does this theory answer?What questions does this theory not answer?What questions do you still have and how can

you find more answers?

Discuss