Minerals and Their Characteristics
Which mineral property describes how easily a mineral can be scratched?
Color
Hardness
Cleavage
Luster
2. What does the term cleavage refer to in minerals?
The minerals ability to glow under UV light
The way mineral reflects light
The minerals tendency to break along flat, smooth surfaces
The color of the minerals powdered form
Hardness
Which process leads to the formation of igneous rocks?
A. Cooling and solidification of magma or lava
B. Compaction and cementation of sediments
C. Heat and pressure applied to existing rocks
D. Weathering and erosion minerals
Sedimentary rocks are primarily formed through which sequence?
A. Melting -cooling
B. Weathering - deposition -compaction
C. Heating- recrystallization
D. Erosion -melting
1. Cooling and solidification of magma or lava
2. Weathering - deposition -compaction
What is the main difference between physical weathering and chemical weathering?
- Physical weathering breaks rocks into smaller pieces without changing their chemical composition, while chemical weathering alters the rocks minerals into new substances.
Which process occurs when a stream picks up and carries sediment away from one location?
Deposition
Erosion
Compaction
Cementation
2. Where in a meandering stream does the fastest water flow usually occur?
On the inside of the curve
At the source of the stream
On the outside of the curve
At the mouth of the stream
Erosion
On the outside of the curve
Which layer of the Earth is the thinnest and includes both continental and oceanic types?
Mantle
Outer core
Crust
Inner core
Crust
3. Which mineral property is least reliable for identification because it can vary widely?
Hardness
Color
Cleavage
Density
4. A mineral that reflects light like metal is said to have what type of luster?
Pearly
Metallic
Silky
Dull
5. A mineral shows no cleavage and breaks with rough, irregular surfaces, This describes what property
Fracture
Hardness
Streak
Transparency
Color
Fracture
Match each rock type to its primary formation process:
1. Igneous
2. Sedimentary
3. Metamorphic
a. Heat and pressure change existing rocks
b. Cooling of molten material
c. Compaction and cementation of of particles
1. Igneous B
2. Sedimentary C
3. Metamorphic A
A river slows down as it enters a wide, flat valley, and you notice a fan shaped pile of sediment forming at the mouth. Is this an example of erosion or deposition? Explain your reasoning.
- This is an example of deposition because the river loses energy and drops the sediment it was carrying, forming a fan shaped deposit.
3. What landform is created when a stream slows down and drips the sediment it carries at its mouth?
Canyon
Delta
Oxbow lake
Alluvial Fan
4. Over long periods of time, how can a stream form a V-shaped valley?
By widening the land through wind erosion
By depositing sediment along its banks
By cutting downward into the land as it flows
By freezing and thawing within rock cracks
Delta
By cutting downward into the land as it flows
2. Which layer is made of hot, solid rock that slowly flows and makes up most of Earth’s volume?
Crust
Mantle
Outer core
Inner core
Mantle
True or False: A mineral’s color is the best way to identify it.
True or False: All minerals break along smooth, flat surfaces.
True or False: If a mineral looks shiny, it must be metallic.
Correct answer: False, color can vary and is not always reliable.
Correct answer: False, many minerals fracture instead of cleaving.
Correct answer: False, minerals can be shiny but still have nonmetallic lusters.
a. Magma
b. Sediments
c. Foliation
Options:
1. Igneous
2. Sedimentary
3. Metamorphic
Magma-1
b. Sediments-2
c. Foliation-3
After a major storm, a beach appears noticeably narrower because larger amounts of sand have been carried away by strong waves. Is this erosion or deposition? Explain your reasoning.
- This is an example of erosion because the waves remove and transport sand away from the beach, wearing it down.
How do the processes of erosion in oceans and streams differ in the way they shape landforms over long periods of time?
-Ocean erosion is mainly driven by waves, tides, and currents. These powerful, repetitive forces carve coastlines by breaking down cliffs, transporting sand, and reshaping beaches. Over long periods, ocean erosion can create features like sea arches, sea stacks, and wave cut cliffs. Stream erosion, on the other hand, happens as flowing water moves downhill. Streams cut into the land, gradually deepening and widening their channels. Over time, this creates valleys, canyons, and meanders. The erosion is more focused along a narrow path, unlike the broad impact of ocean waves.
3. The Earth’s outer core is unique because it is the only layer that us:
Completely solid
Made mostly of oxygen and silicon
The coldest layer
Liquid and responsible for Earth’s magnetic field
You are given a mineral sample that scratches glass ( hardness > 5.5), has a glassy luster, shows no cleavage, is colorless to light gray. Which mineral is it likely to be?
Calcite
Quartz
Talc
Mica
Quartz
Identify the Rock Type: This rock is created when layers of sand and mud are compressed and cemented together over time. What type is it?-
Identify the Rock Type: This rock has undergone changes due to intense heat and pressure but did not melt. What type is it?-
Identify the Rock Type: A rock has large, visible crystals, is light in color, and formed slowly beneath the Earth's surface. What rock type is it?-
That rock type is a sedimentary rock, formed from layers of sand, mud, and other sediments getting compacted and cemented (stuck together) by minerals over time, creating distinct layers like in sandstone, shale, or limestone
That rock is a metamorphic rock, formed when intense heat and pressure (but not enough to melt it) transform an existing igneous, sedimentary, or even another metamorphic rock into a new type, changing its texture, minerals, and appearance.
The rock is granite, an intrusive igneous rock.
Match each mass movement type to its description."
Mass movement types:
Landslide
Mudflow
Slump
Creep
Description:
Slow, steady downhill movement of soil that causes tree trunks, fences, or poles to tilt.
A rapid movement of a large mass of mud and water, often after heavy rainfall.
A sudden movement of rock and soil sliding too quickly down a steep slope.
A large block of land that suddenly slips downward along a curved surface.
1. -D-creep
2. -B-Mudflow
3. -A-landslide
4. -C-Slump
In what ways might the environmental factors influencing ocean erosion compare to those that drive erosion in streams, and how could these differences impact surrounding ecosystems?
-Ocean erosion is strongly influenced by wind patterns, storms, wave energy, and sea levels. For example, stronger storms or rising sea levels can increase coastal erosion, threatening beaches, coastal habitats, and human structures. Stream erosion depends more on rainfall, slope steepness, the amount of water flowing, and the type of sediment or rock in the area. Heavy rain or snowmelt can speed up stream erosion, affecting riverbanks, floodplains, and the organisms that live there. Because the forces are different, the impacts on ecosystems differ too: ocean erosion can destroy coastal habitats like dunes or salt marshes, while stream erosion can alter freshwater habitats, change water clarity, or shift where plants and animals can live.
Fill in the blanks:
Continental crust is ______(thicker/thinner) than oceanic crust.
Oceanic crust is primarily made of __basalt____, a dark, dense igneous rock.
Continental crust is ______ (younger/older) than continental crust
Continental crust is mostly made of __granite___, a light colored, less dense rock.
Continental crust is generally _____(less dense/ more dense) than oceanic crust
Put the following layers of the Earth in order from the outermost layer to the innermost layer.
Mantle, Inner core, Crust, Outer core
Correct Answer: thicker, basalt, younger, granite, less dense
A mineral sample you find has the following properties. Can be scratched by a fingernail ( hardness < 2.5), feels slippery/soapy to the touch, has a pearly luster, and is white or light green. Which mineral is it likely to be?
Talc
Feldspar
Pyrite
Halite
Talc
Match the correct labels to the diagram
[ A ]
Magma / Lava cools
↓
┌───────────┐
│ │
│ │
│ 1 │
│ │
└───────────┘
↓
Heat and Pressure (no melting)
↓
┌───────────┐
│ │
│ │
│ 2 │
│ │
└───────────┘
↓
Weathering → Erosion → Deposition
↓
Compaction and Cementation
↓
┌───────────┐
│ │
│ │
│ 3 │
│ │
└───────────┘
Word bank: Ingenious rock, sedimentary rock, metamorphic rock, cooling and crystallization
Correct labels: A=Cooling and crystallization, 1=Igneous rock, 2=Metamorphic rock, 3=Sedimentary rock
Give one example of physical weathering(hint frost…)
Give one example of chemical weathering(hint acid…)
-Frost wedging, where water freezes in cracks and expands, breaking the rock apart.
-Acid rain reacting with limestone, causing it to dissolve.
"Suggest a challenge: label a diagram of a river system with features like delta, meander, and floodplain.
(Tributary)
\
\
\
\
\
~~~~~~ \
Main River → ~~~~~ ~~~~~ \
~ \ ~~~~~ \
~ \ ~~~~~~~\~~~~~~
~ \ (Meander) ~~~
~ \________________________~~~
~ Floodplain ~
~ ~
~ ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
~
Oxbow Lake --> ( )
( )
( )
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
v
(Delta)
~~~~~~\ | /~~~~~~
\ | /
\|/
~~~~~
~~~~~~~
Put the following layers of the Earth in order from the outermost layer to the innermost layer.
Mantle, Inner core, Crust, Outer core
Correct Answer: Crust, Mantle, Outer core, Inner core