A cubic centimetre of quartz, olivine, and gold weigh 2.5, 3.0, and 19.8 grams respectively.This indicates that ________.
A)gold has a higher specific gravity than quartz and olivine
B)gold is six to seven times harder than olivine and quartz
C)gold and olivine are silicates, quartz is elemental silicon
D)olivine and quartz powders are harder than metallic gold

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Specific gravity is a measure of the density of a substance compared to the density of a reference substance, usually water. The higher the specific gravity, the denser the substance. As gold has a weight of 19.8 grams for a cubic centimetre while quartz and olivine have weights of 2.5 and 3.0 grams respectively for a cubic centimetre, it means gold is more dense and has a higher specific gravity than quartz and olivine.

A Cubic Centimetre of Quartz, Olivine, and Gold Weigh 2