Minerals
Minerals can be classified as __________ or _________.
(Hint: This classification is based on chemical composition)
Silicates or nonsilicates
Explain what the 'streak' of a mineral is.
The color of the powdered form of a mineral. A mineral's streak is found by rubbing the mineral against a streak plate.
Describe the components of a rock.
Rock is a naturally occurring, solid combination of minerals or organic matter.
List five natural processes that change rock.
weathering, erosion, deposition, temperature, and pressure
Define weathering.
Weathering is the process by which atmospheric and environmental agents such as wind, rain, and temperature change, disintegrate, and decompose rock.
Define a mineral. (There are five parts of this definition). To get the points, you must list at least three.
A mineral is a naturally occurring, usually inorganic solid that has a definite crystalline structure and chemical composition.
There are eight adjectives used to describe mineral luster. List at least three.
Metallic, Silky, Vitreous, Waxy, Submetallic, Pearly, Resinous, and Earthy
Describe two properties that are used to classify rock.
COMPOSITION is the chemical makeup of a rock.
TEXTURE is the quality of a rock based on the sizes, shapes, and positions of the grains.
What is the rock cycle?
The rock cycle is a series of processes in which rock changes from one type to another.
Define erosion.
What are native elements? What are they used for?
Native elements are minerals that are composed of only one element. Copper and silver are two examples. Native elements are used to make electronics.
What is the term used to describe a mineral's resistance to being scratched? What scale is used to describe this property?
Hardness, Moh's Hardness scale
Explain where intrusive rock and extrusive igneous rocks form.
Intrusive igneous rock forms when magma cools and solidifies beneath Earth's surface.
Extrusive igneous rock forms when lava cools and solidifies at Earth's surface.
Describe the process by which sedimentary rock forms.
Sedimentary rock forms when sediment is deposited and compressed.
Define deposition.
Deposition is the process in which Earth materials are laid down.
Describe three ways minerals form.
1. As magma and lava cool
2. By metamorphism
3. From solutions
Pyrite and gold look almost identical. How can scientists definitively distinguish between them?
Gold has a density of 19 g/cm^3 and pyrite has a density of 5 g/cm^3. Scientists measure the density of the sample to distinguish between similar looking minerals.
Describe the two types of metamorphic rock.
In foliated metamorphic rock, mineral grains are arranged in planes or bands; in nonfoliated metamorphic rock, they are not.
Describe the process by which igneous rock forms.
Igneous rock forms when MAGMA beneath the Earth's surface and lava flowing across Earth's surface cools and solidifies.
Define rift zone.
A rift zone is an area of deep cracks that form in a plate or between tectonic plates that are moving apart.
List the six classes of nonsilicate minerals.
Native elements, halides, sulfates, carbonates, oxides, and sulfides.
List the six properties used to identify minerals. (Must list at least 4 to earn points)
Color, streak, luster, cleavage/ fracture, density, and hardness.
Identify the three major types of sedimentary rock and explain how they form.
Clastic sedimentary rock forms when sediment is compacted and cemented.
Chemical sedimentary rock forms when minerals precipitate out of a solution.
Organic sedimentary rock forms from the remains of plants or animals.
Describe the process by which metamorphic rock forms.
Metamorphic rock forms when temperature and pressure change the composition and texture of an existing rock.
Define subsidence.
Subsidence is the sinking of regions of the Earth's crust into lower elevations.