Question #882df
1 Answer
Jan 5, 2018
"Volume" is the amount of space contained within an enclosed 3-dimensional shape. "Shape" is any appearance of an object.
Explanation:
Volume is at least a more precise metric term. Something cannot have volume unless it is 3-dimensional. Shape is a more generic English word that means the form or appearance of something - just what it looks like.
Applied to minerals in Earth Science the shape is often used to describe the crystalline structure - planar, rhombic, tetrahedral, etc. The volume is used to link mass (a primary value) with density, which is one way to begin identification of different mineral types.
