Jim,
In a practical sense, this is quite possible since there are more
possibilities, where your question could be taken as too ambiguous.
Specifics - what are you really after? I'm thinking if this relates to
meteorites you might have some concretions in mind as well, or perhaps
melting and there are rarely "just" two minerals present in nature.
When I mixed the concrete to fill the hole in the driveway, the
hydration (a chemical modification) causes a structural change as well
which contributes to a volume change, and it was certainly more slurry
than the sum of the cement and sand, to adjust for the water. Some
hydrations are reversible and others aren't. In nature for the
organized mind, things usually go to hell in a handbasket since it is
usually an open, complex system where everything and then some goes.
If you like math, some engineers probably are very concerned about
shrinkage or expansion of concretions for the times we drive over
bridges, etc:
maybe this gives further insight, I googled blindly:
http://www.byg.dtu.dk/upload/institutter/byg/nyheder/trb-06-1571-as%20submitted%20final.pdf
If two minerals are melted together, it is quite possible they will
form a new crystal or amorphous structure, perhaps not even a clear
chemical modification, but rather just reordering on a molecular scale
that don't result in voids, but do result in a new density without
adding gases, etc. I guess it might be a new mineral, but I'm not sure
I know the precise definition of a rock or mineral so I'd think of it
this way.
Kindest wishes
Doug
-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Peterson <[email protected]>
To: meteorite-list <[email protected]>
Sent: Sat, Apr 14, 2012 2:08 am
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] OT: For the Geologists and Math Wizards!
If the two combine as some sort of conglomerate (like a breccia), and
the combination doesn't result in voids, then the bulk density can't be
lower than the density of the lowest density material. But if the two
combine chemically, resulting in an alloy or in the formation of
different minerals, certainly the bulk density could be lower than
either of the constituents (because you could have an increase in
volume).
Chris
*******************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com
On 4/13/2012 9:04 PM, Jim Wooddell wrote:
Hi all!
I have a question that relates to meteorites...sort of.
If I have two minerals that are combined that have two different
densities, could the bulk density ever be lower the density of the
mineral with the lowest density?
Examples (to make it easy) Mineral 1 = 3g/cc Mineral 2 = 15g/cc
IOWs could I ever have a density lower than 3g/cc???
If yes, can I please see the math?
Thanks
Jim
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