Granite
Density of granite
2,700 kg/m³ (2,600–2,800)
2.70 g/cm³ · 168.6 lb/ft³
A coarse-grained igneous rock of quartz, feldspar and mica, which is why it is hard enough to resist knife scratches on a worktop — the quartz grains are Mohs 7. It is strong in compression, at over 100 MPa, and weak in tension, at 7-25 MPa, like all stone. Machine tool surface plates are granite rather than cast iron because it does not rust, does not raise a burr when scratched, and is dimensionally stable over decades.
Properties
- Density
- 2,700 kg/m³ (2,600–2,800) — 2.70 g/cm³
- Tensile strength
- 7–25 MPa
- Young's modulus
- 50 GPa
- Thermal conductivity
- 2.9 W/(m·K)
- Hardness
- 6 Mohs
- Thermal expansion
- 8 µm/(m·K)
- Floats in water
- No
- Magnetic
- No
What it is used for
- Kitchen worktops and vanity tops
- Kerbstones, setts and paving
- Machine tool surface plates
- Monuments and cladding
How it compares
Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.
air 1.2 kg/m³
expanded polystyrene foam 20 kg/m³
rigid polyurethane foam 40 kg/m³
Water — the float line 1,000 kg/m³
granite 2,700 kg/m³
tungsten 19,250 kg/m³
gold 19,300 kg/m³
platinum 21,450 kg/m³
| Material | Density | Relative to water |
|---|---|---|
| rigid polyurethane foam | 40 kg/m³ | 0.04× |
| expanded polystyrene foam | 20 kg/m³ | 0.02× |
| air | 1.2 kg/m³ | 0.00× |
| granite ← | 2,700 kg/m³ | 2.70× |
| platinum | 21,450 kg/m³ | 21.45× |
| gold | 19,300 kg/m³ | 19.30× |
| tungsten | 19,250 kg/m³ | 19.25× |
Does it rust?
Granite contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.
Is it magnetic?
Granite is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.
Common questions
- What is the density of granite?
- 2,700 kg/m³ (2,600–2,800), or 2.70 g/cm³.
- Does granite float?
- No. At 2,700 kg/m³ it is denser than water.
- Is granite magnetic?
- Granite is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.
Related pages
Sources
- United States Geological Survey — USGS (Public domain (US Government))