Identifying Rocks and Minerals
A student found a rock in the desert that was mixed with clay, gravel, sand, and had layers. What type of rock did the student find?
Sedimentary
True or False: Rocks are made up of minerals.
True
What is the difference between a rock and a mineral.
Rocks have two or more materials and minerals have one material. Rocks are made from minerals.
Two minerals are the same hardness, color, and luster. What other test can be done to help identify the minerals?
Do a streak test.
What is it called sediment is transported to a different location? (hint: cookie lab)
What is erosion?
Why is color not a good identifier of a mineral?
Because a mineral can come in many colors.
What is a hardness scale?
a scale that tests the hardness of a mineral by scratching other materials
Mount Etna in Italy is the largest active volcano in Europe. The Italians that live near Mount Etna use rocks to make stairs and buildings. What type of rock are they using?
Igneous rock
If a scientist found a rock that was formed from heat and pressure, how would this rock be classified?
What is Metamorphic?
What are the 2 types of weathering?
Mechanical weathering and chemical weathering
When sediments get compacted and cemented it forms what type of rock?
sedimentary rock
A diamond is measured as a 10 (the highest number) on the Mohs hardness scale for minerals. Talc is measured as a 1. Which one is a harder mineral?
Diamond
Which rock type can contain fossils?
Sedimentary
The way a mineral looks when it breaks apart.
What is cleavage? Or fracture
Imagine you are looking at the Grand Canyon. What kind of process could have formed it?
Mechanical weathering from a river flowing through the valley.
A student is performing an investigation by scratching a mineral on a porcelain plate and examining the powder's color. Which question is the student most likely trying to answer?
What is the rocks streak?
What is luster?
how light reflects or interacts with the surface of a mineral
Granite is an igneous rock. It is formed by what processes.
Melting (molten magma) and cooling
Which way is the least useful when identifying a mineral?
color
This process happens after erosion, when sediments settle and build up in a new place.
Deposition
If all minerals are solids and have a rock like appearance, what are 3 properties that could be different about them?
What is Color, Luster, Shape, Streak, Hardness?
Can Talc with a Moh's scale hardness of 1, scratch glass? (Yes or No)
No
When heat and pressure are applied to any rock, it forms what type of rock?
metamorphic rock
What two properties can be best used to distinguish between pyrite and gold, which are both the same color?
Hardness and streak
When rain freezes in a rock’s crack and makes it split apart, this type of weathering is happening.
Mechanical weathering (ice wedging)