Definition
Travertine is a mineral consisting of layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters
Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed as an extrusive igneous rock. It is produced when felsic lava extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimum crystal growth
Discoverer
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio
Obsius
Etymology
From Italian travertino a kind of building stone, from Tiburs, adjective from Tibur (Tivoli), in Italy
From Latin obsidianus, misprint of Obsianus (lapis) (stone) of Obsius
Class
Sedimentary Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Durable Rock, Medium Hardness Rock
Group
Not Applicable
Volcanic
Other Categories
Fine Grained Rock, Opaque Rock
Opaque Rock
Color
Beige, Black, Blue, Brown, Grey, Red, White, Yellow
Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Red, Tan, Yellow
Durability
Durable
Durable
Scratch Resistant
Yes
Yes
Interior Uses
Decorative Aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes, Interior Decoration
Decorative Aggregates, Interior Decoration
Exterior Uses
As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Garden Decoration, Office Buildings
Garden Decoration
Other Architectural Uses
Curbing
Not Yet Used
Construction Industry
As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls, Cement Manufacture, Construction Aggregate, for Road Aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar
Arrowheads, Cutting Tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear Points
Medical Industry
Not Yet Used
Surgery
Antiquity Uses
Artifacts, Jewellery, Monuments, Sculpture, Small Figurines
Artifacts, Jewellery
Commercial Uses
Cemetery Markers, Creating Artwork, Gemstone, Jewelry, Paper Industry, Pottery
Creating Artwork, Mirror, Used in aquariums
Types
Not Available
Fireworks Obsidian, Mahogany, Sheen Obsidian, Snowflake obsidian and Velvet Peacock Obsidian
Features
Stalactites and stalagmites are formed from this rock, Surfaces are often shiny, Very fine grained rock
Blocks negativity, Helps to protect against depression
Archaeological Significance
Monuments
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Monuments
Colosseum in Rome, Italy, Sacré Coeur in Paris, France, Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy
Not Applicable
Sculpture
Used
Not Yet Used
Famous Sculptures
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Figurines
Used
Not Yet Used
Formation
Travertine is a type of sedimentary rock formed when a river carries or transports pieces of broken rock which then undergo sedimentation. They are then subjected to high temperature and pressure hence forming travertine rock.
When the lava is released from volcano, it undergoes a very rapid cooling which freezes the mechanisms of crystallization. The result is a volcanic glass with a uniform smooth texture.
Mineral Content
Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz
Not Available
Compound Content
Ca, NaCl, CaO, Oxygen
Aluminium Oxide, CaO, Iron(III) Oxide, FeO, Potassium Oxide, MgO, MnO, Sodium Oxide, Phosphorus Pentoxide, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide
Types of Metamorphism
Not Applicable
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism
Types of Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering
Types of Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Chemical Erosion, Coastal Erosion, Glacier Erosion
Grain Size
Fine Grained
Not Applicable
Fracture
Splintery
Conchoidal
Porosity
Highly Porous
Very Less Porous
Luster
Dull to Pearly
Vitreous
Cleavage
Non-Existent
Non-Existent
Toughness
1
Not Available
Specific Gravity
1.68
2.6-2.7
Transparency
Opaque
Translucent
Density
2.71 g/cm3
2.6 g/cm3
Resistance
Impact Resistant, Pressure Resistant, Wear Resistant
Heat Resistant, Impact Resistant
Deposits in Eastern Continents
Asia
China, Russia
Afghanistan, Indonesia, Japan, Russia
Africa
Not Yet Found
Kenya
Europe
Austria, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Turkey
Others
Not Yet Found
Not Yet Found
Deposits in Western Continents
North America
Canada, USA
Canada, Mexico, USA
South America
Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador
Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru
Deposits in Oceania Continent
Australia
Not Yet Found
New Zealand
Travertine vs Obsidian Characteristics
Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Travertine vs Obsidian characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Travertine and Properties of Obsidian. Learn more about Travertine vs Obsidian in the next section. The interior uses of Travertine include Decorative aggregates, Entryways, Flooring, Homes and Interior decoration whereas the interior uses of Obsidian include Decorative aggregates and Interior decoration. Due to some exceptional properties of Travertine and Obsidian, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Travertine in construction industry include As dimension stone, Building houses or walls, Cement manufacture, Construction aggregate, For road aggregate, Raw material for the manufacture of mortar and that of Obsidian include Arrowheads, Cutting tool, Knives, Scrapers, Spear points.
More about Travertine and Obsidian
Here you can know more about Travertine and Obsidian. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Travertine and Obsidian consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Travertine includes Calcite, Clay, Feldspar, Micas, Quartz and mineral content of Obsidian is not available. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Travertine vs Obsidian, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Travertine is available in beige, black, blue, brown, grey, red, white, yellow colors whereas, Obsidian is available in black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, tan, yellow colors. Appearance of Travertine is Fibrous and that of Obsidian is Shiny. Properties of rock is another aspect for Travertine vs Obsidian. The hardness of Travertine is 3-4 and that of Obsidian is 5-5.5. The types of Travertine are Not Available whereas types of Obsidian are Fireworks Obsidian, Mahogany, Sheen Obsidian, Snowflake obsidian and Velvet Peacock Obsidian. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Travertine and Obsidian is white. The specific heat capacity of Travertine is 1.09 kJ/Kg K and that of Obsidian is 0.92 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Travertine is impact resistant, pressure resistant, wear resistant whereas Obsidian is heat resistant, impact resistant.