HAND SPECIMEN Meaning and
Definition
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A hand specimen is a term commonly used in geology, mineralogy, and other Earth sciences to refer to a representative sample or piece of rock, mineral, or fossil that can be held and examined by hand. It is usually a small-sized sample obtained from a larger rock outcrop or mineral deposit.
Hand specimens are often collected to study the physical characteristics, composition, texture, and structure of rocks and minerals. They play a crucial role in geological analysis, as they allow researchers, geologists, and geology students to observe and evaluate different rock types and their properties up close.
Typically, a hand specimen should be large enough to be adequately observed but small enough to be easily handled. It is usually sourced from exposed rock formations, quarries, or mining operations, where geological features and mineralization can be examined and analyzed. Hand specimens can be either collected directly or obtained from trusted geological repositories.
Geologists use hand specimens for field identification and to help classify rocks based on their mineralogical compositions and physical attributes. By examining the color, texture, hardness, crystal structures, and other properties of a hand specimen, geologists can make educated interpretations about the rock's origin, geological history, and its related formations.
In summary, a hand specimen is a small representative sample of rock, mineral, or fossil that can be physically held and studied to learn more about its properties, composition, and geological significance.
Common Misspellings for HAND SPECIMEN
- gand specimen
- band specimen
- nand specimen
- jand specimen
- uand specimen
- yand specimen
- hznd specimen
- hsnd specimen
- hwnd specimen
- hqnd specimen
- habd specimen
- hamd specimen
- hajd specimen
- hahd specimen
- hans specimen
- hanx specimen
- hanc specimen
- hanf specimen
- hanr specimen
- hane specimen
Etymology of HAND SPECIMEN
The word "hand specimen" is a compound noun made up of the words "hand" and "specimen".
The term "hand" can be traced back to the Old English word "hand" which means "the terminal part of the arm beyond the wrist". This word had Germanic origins, specifically deriving from the Proto-Germanic word "handuz".
"Specimen", on the other hand, comes from the Latin word "specimen", which means "a mark, sign, or example". In Latin, "specimen" also referred to "a sample or a piece that serves as evidence or representation of a whole". This Latin term ultimately traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root word "spek-", meaning "to observe or look".
