Mystery of the cube

[SkyPirate]

Measures just under 1 inch by 3/4 inch and weighs about 25 grams. This was found at a place that was first an old homestead, then a BSA camp now a public park.
Other items found near it are wire, nails, screws and iron pieces. Any ideas what this may be for or from? When I first saw it I thought it was silver.

UPDATE: I don't think it is magnesium because I cannot scrape any shavings off of it, it is too hard. Any other suggestions?

It measures exactly 15/16ths X 3/4ths of an inch and weighs 0.024kg

Could it be silver?

[sniffer]

that's called a whazit. they were designed and built just for people like us to sit back
and go " HHMMMM, What is it ? " LOL

[AU24K]

Possibly "furniture" from a letterpress form.
I've used magnesium furniture and would guess that they may have aluminum pieces of furniture.
Could it be magnesium? Scrape some shavings and put a match to the shavings. CAUTION: Do this out doors and don't use a lot of shavings, a couple will tell you. Magnesium is 10 times lighter than aluminum. Also if it is magnesium and it flares up, DO NOT look directly at the flame-it is brighter than a welding torch!

Scott

[SkyPirate]

Possibly "furniture" from a letterpress form.
I've used magnesium furniture and would guess that they may have aluminum pieces of furniture.
Could it be magnesium? Scrape some shavings and put a match to the shavings. CAUTION: Do this out doors and don't use a lot of shavings, a couple will tell you. Magnesium is 10 times lighter than aluminum. Also if it is magnesium and it flares up, DO NOT look directly at the flame-it is brighter than a welding torch!

Scott

I willl try it! Sounds fun. As a matter of fact, I found some boy scout items in the same area about a month ago this is around a campfire circle. Maybe if it is magnesium it is from a fire starter.

[TiredIron]

Possibly "furniture" from a letterpress form.
I've used magnesium furniture and would guess that they may have aluminum pieces of furniture.
Could it be magnesium? Scrape some shavings and put a match to the shavings. CAUTION: Do this out doors and don't use a lot of shavings, a couple will tell you. Magnesium is 10 times lighter than aluminum. Also if it is magnesium and it flares up, DO NOT look directly at the flame-it is brighter than a welding torch!

Scott

Whoa there.....not 10X lighter. A cubic inch of magnesium weighs #.06lbs and
a cubic inch of aluminum weighs about #.10lbs. I think thats like 40%ish lighter than aluminum. Just approximations but......Just sayin'....
TiredIron

[AU24K]

Tired Iron,
Thanks for the correction. Maybe I should have said about "half as light"...

Scott

[goldie1959]

Like a jo block to me for calibrating. micrometers,etc

[goldguru]

Cubic Volume
V = lwh = 0.52734375

inch3 0.527344 = 8.64161578 cc

so 0.527344 cubic inches / 24 grams = 2.7725 gr/cc

2.34 g/cc Boron B 5
2.54 g/cc Strontium Sr 38
2.702 g/cc Aluminum Al 13 <<<<< plus some alloy
2.99 g/cc Scandium Sc 21
3.119 g/cc Bromine Br 35
http://environmentalchemistry.com/yo...c/density.html

[Kanyontreasures]

this could not be aluminum cube becaus aluminum scraches very easy with the tip a knife.

[SkyPirate]

this could not be aluminum cube becaus aluminum scraches very easy with the tip a knife.

It does scratch, I scratched an x in it but I can't shave off any pieces like a magniesum fire starter. Could it be silver?

[SkyPirate]

Cubic Volume
V = lwh = 0.52734375

inch3 0.527344 = 8.64161578 cc

so 0.527344 cubic inches / 24 grams = 2.7725 gr/cc

2.34 g/cc Boron B 5
2.54 g/cc Strontium Sr 38
2.702 g/cc Aluminum Al 13 <<<<< plus some alloy
2.99 g/cc Scandium Sc 21
3.119 g/cc Bromine Br 35
http://environmentalchemistry.com/yo...c/density.html

You lost me...This is way over my head. Never very good at math.

[Bigcypresshunter]

I have an aluminum block about the same size. If I get a chance I will dig it out and take a pic.

[mrs.oroblanco]

Do you see any marks where it might have been cut off from something else?

B

[goldguru]

Cubic Volume
V = lwh = 0.52734375

inch3 0.527344 = 8.64161578 cc

so 0.527344 cubic inches / 24 grams = 2.7725 gr/cc

2.34 g/cc Boron B 5
2.54 g/cc Strontium Sr 38
2.702 g/cc Aluminum Al 13 <<<<< plus some alloy
2.99 g/cc Scandium Sc 21
3.119 g/cc Bromine Br 35
http://environmentalchemistry.com/yo...c/density.html

You lost me...This is way over my head. Never very good at math.

this is based on your cube being 15/16ths x 3/4 x 3/4 to get volume..we would need 0.xxxx inch or mm for lenght wideth & hieght to get a closer # of Cubic volume

The cubic volume of the item is a Known value, the weight is a Known value,therefore the block is an aluminium Alloy for thats all that fits By wieght & Volume for the KNOW size,Alloy makes it more resistant to scratching..
Green Check

[SkyPirate]

Cubic Volume
V = lwh = 0.52734375

inch3 0.527344 = 8.64161578 cc

so 0.527344 cubic inches / 24 grams = 2.7725 gr/cc

2.34 g/cc Boron B 5
2.54 g/cc Strontium Sr 38
2.702 g/cc Aluminum Al 13 <<<<< plus some alloy
2.99 g/cc Scandium Sc 21
3.119 g/cc Bromine Br 35
http://environmentalchemistry.com/yo...c/density.html

You lost me...This is way over my head. Never very good at math.

this is based on your cube being 15/16ths x 3/4 x 3/4 to get volume..we would need 0.xxxx inch or mm for lenght wideth & hieght to get a closer # of Cubic volume

The cubic volume of the item is a Known value, the weight is a Known value,therefore the block is an aluminium Alloy for thats all that fits By wieght & Volume for the KNOW size,Alloy makes it more resistant to scratching..
Green Check

Got it!

[SkyPirate]

Do you see any marks where it might have been cut off from something else?

B

It is perfectly square but I do see some lines on each end that look like lines from some type of cutting device. Sorry I could not get any good close ups, the flash washed it out.

[mrs.oroblanco]

I was just pondering whether or not it was a density cube.

They use them in school - different sizes, etc., in science classes?

B


http://www.teachersource.com/Density...FSMSagodTiRw0Q

[mrs.oroblanco]

We used some of different sizes in our math classes - for density, etc. and learning to how to figure out dimensions, etc.

B