15 Questions
What characteristic of a mineral is determined by observing the color it leaves behind?
Streak
What is the method of classifying crystal structures based on the angles where the sides intersect?
Angles
Which type of rock is formed through the recycling of old rocks?
Metamorphic
What is the term for the study of rocks?
Petrology
What is the approximate percentage of sedimentary rock in the Earth's crust as a whole?
5%
What is the primary characteristic that distinguishes a mineral from a rock?
Its definite crystalline structure
What is true about the composition of minerals?
They can be made from multiple types of elements or just one
What happens to magma when it cools and hardens?
It becomes a mineral
Why are diamonds considered minerals, not rocks?
Because they have a definite crystalline structure
How are minerals classified?
By their chemical composition and crystalline structure
What is the primary difference between intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks?
One is formed underground, and the other is formed above ground
What process transforms sedimentary rocks into metamorphic rocks?
Heat and pressure, deformation and recrystallization
What is the primary difference between rocks and minerals?
Rocks are always made of minerals, but minerals can exist on their own
What is an example of a clastic sedimentary rock?
Shale
What is the process by which rocks are made or recycled?
Rock cycle
Study Notes
Rocks vs Minerals
- Rocks are different from minerals, but both are solids and can be found in the earth's crust.
- A mineral is a naturally occurring substance with unique chemical and physical properties.
- Minerals are inorganic, multicolored, have a specific structure, and are defined by their chemical composition.
Mineral Definition
- A mineral is a solid with a crystalline internal structure that occurs naturally.
- Minerals can be made from multiple types of elements or just one.
- Minerals have a definite crystalline structure and can have nutritional value.
Classifying Minerals
- Minerals are classified by their chemical composition and crystalline structure.
- Other ways to characterize minerals include examining the color, density, hardness, streak, luster, and solubility.
- Geologists classify crystal structures by the number of sides, angles, cleavage, and fracture.
- There are three main types of crystalline structures: Body-Centered Cubic (BCC), Hexagonal Close-Packed (HCP), and Cubic Close-Packed (CCP).
Rock Definition
- A rock is a solid interconnected collective of one or more crystalline minerals.
- Rocks are usually made up of various types of mineral grains, held together in one solid form.
- The study of rocks is called petrology.
Classifying Rocks
- Rocks are classified based on how they are formed.
- There are three main rock classifications: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.
- Igneous rocks are made from hot magma that cools to create rock.
- Sedimentary rocks are made over time by pressure from other rocks.
- Metamorphic rocks are made from other rocks through chemical reactions and heat.
Rock Cycle
- The rock cycle is the process in which all rock is made or recycled.
- Igneous rocks can become sedimentary rocks through weathering, sedimentation, and lithification.
- Sedimentary rocks can become metamorphic rocks through heat and pressure, deformation, and recrystallization.
- Metamorphic rocks can become igneous rocks through melting and crystallization.
Comparing Rocks and Minerals
- Rocks are not minerals, and minerals do not always make rocks.
- Most rocks are made of minerals, but some rocks have no minerals.
- Rocks can have fossils, but minerals do not.
- Rocks can have varied colors, while minerals have specific colors.
Learn about the key characteristics that distinguish rocks from minerals, including their composition, structure, and properties.
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