Transcript Atoms, Elements, & Minerals

Minerals
The building blocks
of rocks
Atoms, Elements, & Minerals
• Atom
– Smallest component of
an element
f
Atoms, Elements, & Minerals
• Element
– substance that cannot be broken down into
simpler substances by ordinary means
Atoms, Elements, & Minerals
• Compound
– made up of more than one
element
– Cannot be separated by
physical means
– Minerals are compounds
NaCl
Atoms, Elements, & Minerals
• Mixture
– Can be separated by physical means
– ALL rocks are MIXTURES of minerals
Atoms, Elements, & Minerals
Atoms Elements Minerals Rocks
Compounds
Mixtures
Minerals
Characteristics of Minerals:
1. Naturally occurring
2. Solid
3. Inorganic
4. Orderly internal arrangement of atoms
5. Definite chemical composition.
Minerals
• How minerals form:
1. Solidification from magma
2. evaporation and precipitation from water
Mineral Properties
• Based on the internal arrangement of
atoms.
Both of
these are
made
entirely of
the
element
Carbon
Mineral Properties
1. Color – Most easily observed property
– Least useful property
– The same mineral may have many colors, or different
minerals may have the same color
Mineral Properties
1. Color – Most easily observed property
– Least useful property
– The same mineral may have many colors
Color differences are caused by
impurities trapped in the mineral as
it formed.
Mineral Properties
Page 16 – Earth Science Reference Tables
Mineral Properties
2. Luster –
– The way a minerals shines
A. Metallic Luster– Looks like a metal
Mineral Properties
2. Luster –
– The way a minerals shines
B. Nonmetallic Luster– Does not look like a metal
Mineral Properties
3. Hardness –
– A minerals resistance to being scratched
Glass Plate
Hardness = 5.5
6. Feldspar
Fingernail = 2.5
Mineral Properties
4. Cleavage/Fracture
– Cleavage occurs when minerals break along
planes of weak bonds.
– Results in smooth, flat surfaces
– When a mineral with cleavage is broken, the
pieces look similar
Mineral Properties
4. Cleavage/Fracture
– Fracture – breakage not on cleavage planes
– Like broken glass – no two pieces are the same
Mineral Properties
5. Streak –
– The color of a mineral in powdered form
– Tested by rubbing mineral on a streak plate.