CHAPTER VIII
SPECIFIC GRAVITY
IT is one of our earliest experiences that different substances of the same size have often markedly different weights; thus, there is a great difference between wood and iron, and still greater between wood and lead. It is usual to say that iron is heavier than wood, but the statement is misleading, because it would be possible by selecting a large enough piece of wood to find one at least as heavy as a particular piece of iron. We have, in fact, to compare equal volumes of the two substances, and all ambiguity is removed if we speak of relative density or specific gravity—the former term being usually applied to liquids and the latter to solids—instead of weight or heaviness. The density of water at 4° C. is taken as unity, that being the temperature at which it is highest; at other temperatures it is somewhat lower, as will be seen from [Table IX] given at the end of the book. The direct determination of the volume of an irregular solid presents almost insuperable difficulty; but, fortunately, for finding the specific gravity it is quite unnecessary to know the volume, as will be shown when we proceed to consider the methods in use.
The specific gravity of a stone is a character which is within narrow limits constant for each species, and is therefore very useful for discriminative purposes. It can be determined whatever be the shape of the stone, and it is immaterial whether it be transparent or not; but, on the other hand, the stone must be unmounted and free from the setting.
The methods for the determination of the specific gravity are of two kinds: in the first a liquid is found of the same, or nearly the same, density as the stone, and in the second weighings are made and the use of an accurate balance is required.