Transcript ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS 1. How are minerals and rocks related

MINERALS are a solid mixture of elements. All share
four common characteristics.
•Formed through natural processes
•NONLIVING: Not alive and never was
EXAMPLE: diamonds vs. coal
•SOLIDS: Objects with a definite size and shape
•Elements or compounds with a unique chemical
composition or CRYSTAL (a solid in which the atoms are
arranged in a repeating pattern) structure.
Definition: Minerals are naturally occurring, nonliving,
solids with a unique chemical composition or crystal
structure.
There are thousands of minerals, most are made up of only
8 elements, but these 8 elements make up 98 % of the
Earth's crust.
Minerals form two main ways:
1. From the cooling of melted rock (magma or lava)
• as it cools, the atoms form a crystal structure
• after becoming a solid, it becomes a mineral
• the type of mineral depends on the types of
elements in the magma
2. From the evaporation of liquid
• atoms are dissolved in liquid
• after the liquid evaporates, the atoms left
behind form new crystals
MINERAL IDENTIFICATION occurs based on a mineral’s
physical and chemical properties.
1. LUSTER is how light is reflected from a mineral's
surface.
•METALLIC : shiny (like a piece of metal) or dull (like iron)
•NON- METALLIC: no real reflection of light, “soapy”, or
“pearly”
2. COLOR is the general appearance of a mineral
3. STREAK is the color when it is broken up or powdered.
4. The way a mineral breaks. A mineral with ……..
•BASAL CLEAVAGE has smooth and flat sheets
•CUBIC CLEAVAGE has smooth edges with cubic shapes
•FRACTURE has rough or jagged edges
5. HARDNESS is how easily a mineral can be scratched.
Based on MOHS SCALE OF HARDNESS, 1 is the softest
and 10 is the hardest.
6. Other Properties
•Crystal Structure
•Magnetism
•Light- bending
•Reaction to acid (Hydrochloric)
•Density
HOMEWORK:
Notebook page 3:
Using complete sentences, give one SIMILARITY and
one DIFFERENCE in the ways minerals form.
Check you answers by labeling them S1 and D1.
Notebook page 4:
Using complete sentences, give two mineral
characteristics that can be identified by
observations AND two characteristics that can be
identified by tests. Check you answers by labeling
them O1, O2, T1, and T2.
The two main uses for minerals are:
1. GEMS are minerals that are prized because of their
beauty and rarity. The cost of such minerals is affected by
● Cut ● Polish● Quality ● Tradition ● Beauty ● Size ●
Durability ● Rarity ● Purity ● Demand ● Portability
2. ORES are minerals that can be mined for a profit.
Factors determining the profit include:
● Supply ● Demand ● Mining costs ● Cost of removing waste
rock ● Environmental impacts ●Human concerns/ needs