Minerals and Rocks
Minerals and Rocks Minerals
Minerals: Minerals are elements or compounds found in the earth. The elements or compounds are called minerals if they have five features.
They are solids.
They are formed naturally in the earth.
They have the same chemical makeup throughout
They are not alive or made of living things.
They have definite arrangement of atoms.
3,000 different minerals are found in the earth. Some are common but most are rare. Aluminum, quartz, feldspar, mica, calcite, dolomite, halite and, gypsum are the most common minerals. Most minerals are compounds. No two minerals share the same physical properties.
Color: Most minerals have unique colors, and most of them can be found in many different colors. Many minerals are similar in color such as pyrite and gold but most of them are different. The color helps identify a mineral.
Luster: Some mineral are shiny, but others are dull. Different minerals reflect differently. The way a mineral reflects light is called luster. There’s two main types of luster. Metallic and nonmetallic. Shiny minerals have a metallic luster.
Streak: When you rub a soft mineral across a white tile it leave a mark. That mark is called a streak. A streak test also helps you identify a mineral. The streak of a mineral is not the same color of the mineral.
Hardness: How do you know if a Diamond ring is real? You could do a test. A diamond is the hardest of all mineral. If a diamond can scratch a piece of glass, then it is real. It will scratch any other mineral, but nothing will scratch a diamond. The hardness of a mineral is the ability of a mineral to resist being scratched. The Moh’s scale measures hardness on a scale from 1 to 10. Rocks
Rocks: A rock is a natural, solid material made of one or more minerals. Rocks provide clues about the history of the earth and how the earth changes. There are three main types of rocks. The igneous rock, the sedimentary rock,
Minerals: Minerals are elements or compounds found in the earth. The elements or compounds are called minerals if they have five features.
They are solids.
They are formed naturally in the earth.
They have the same chemical makeup throughout
They are not alive or made of living things.
They have definite arrangement of atoms.
3,000 different minerals are found in the earth. Some are common but most are rare. Aluminum, quartz, feldspar, mica, calcite, dolomite, halite and, gypsum are the most common minerals. Most minerals are compounds. No two minerals share the same physical properties.
Color: Most minerals have unique colors, and most of them can be found in many different colors. Many minerals are similar in color such as pyrite and gold but most of them are different. The color helps identify a mineral.
Luster: Some mineral are shiny, but others are dull. Different minerals reflect differently. The way a mineral reflects light is called luster. There’s two main types of luster. Metallic and nonmetallic. Shiny minerals have a metallic luster.
Streak: When you rub a soft mineral across a white tile it leave a mark. That mark is called a streak. A streak test also helps you identify a mineral. The streak of a mineral is not the same color of the mineral.
Hardness: How do you know if a Diamond ring is real? You could do a test. A diamond is the hardest of all mineral. If a diamond can scratch a piece of glass, then it is real. It will scratch any other mineral, but nothing will scratch a diamond. The hardness of a mineral is the ability of a mineral to resist being scratched. The Moh’s scale measures hardness on a scale from 1 to 10. Rocks
Rocks: A rock is a natural, solid material made of one or more minerals. Rocks provide clues about the history of the earth and how the earth changes. There are three main types of rocks. The igneous rock, the sedimentary rock,