1. Lunar Density

2. 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

3. 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. Olivine Pyroxene Ilmenite Feldspar Review the properties of these minerals on your Moon Rock and Mineral Key.

4. 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.

5. Scale Graduated cylinders 1 set of lunar minerals Plastic cups Calculator Measure the density of each mineral Rank your densities Share results

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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? Straw Feldspar Gravel Ilmenite Rubber and plastic cubes Olivine and pyroxene

9. 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?