• Question: If there is a bone inside of the rock when you dissolve it in acid will it not dissolve the bone as well ?

    Asked by star49dap to Danny on 4 Nov 2020.
    • Photo: Danny Hnatyshin

      Danny Hnatyshin answered on 4 Nov 2020:

      So you have to pick your type of acid very carefully! Certain types of acid will dissolve certain types of rocks. So if you are careful you can might be able to pick an acid that will dissolve the rock but not the bone. However, most people working with fossils have to physically remove the rock very carefully so they do not damage to fossil.

      So for my research I often do chemical analysis so we have to dissolve everything so we use very strong acids (hydrocholoic acid and nitric acid).

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