Minerals Flashcards
what is a mineral
a naturally occurring inoragnic solid that contains a crystal structure and has a definite chemical composition.
naturally occurring
not man made
inorganic
DOES NOT come from anything that was once living
crystal system
repeating pattern of particles that form flat faces
definite chemical compostion
contains certain elements in definite proportions.
every mineral has its own ______ that can be used to identify them
Physical Proprties
There are ____ Physical properties of minerals
8
Hardness
ability to resist scratching
The mohs Hardness Scale
ranks the hardness of minerals from 1-10
1 is talc(softest) 10 is a diamond(hardest)
Color
Least reliable way to identify a mineral
Things abt color
Different minerals come in the same color(gold and pyrite)
Same minerals occur in a variety of colors(quartz and diamonds)
Colors can change(weathering)
Streak
color of the powder left behind by a mineral when it is rubbed against a piece of tile
Streak DOES NOT CHANGE even when color does fro m weathering
True color of the mineral
Luster
How a mineral reflects light
Minerals are classified as either metallic or non-metallic
Metallic+shiny
Non-metallic=pearly,silky,dull
Density
each mineral has a specific density
formula is D=M/V
You can estimate the density of any object by placing it in water
Crystal structure
Minerals are classified(organized) into a group based on the number and angle of the crystal faces
Breakage
Minerals break in 2 different ways
Cleavage= when a mineral splits in a predictable way.Easily a long a flat surface
Fratured=when a mineral breaks random;y or in an irregular way
Special properties
there are several but only need to know 2
Fluorescence when a mineral changes color under special lighting
Magnetism when a mineral is naturally a magnet
What is metamorphism
to change or transformation
how are they formed
metamorphic,igneous or sedimentary rock by HEAT and PRESSURE
what are examples of metamorphism
sandstone chaging to quartzite
limestone changing to marble
How can metamorphic rocks be classified as
foliated; minerals have banding(minerals lineup)
An example is granite chasing to gneiss
Non-foliated; there is no banding present
an example is limestone changing to marble
How are rocks classified
rocks are classified by how they form
formation of igneous,sedimentary and metamorphic
I= melting & cooling(solidification)
S=compaction & cementation
M= heat & pressure
the process of rock formation is a continuous process occurring across the Earth’s surface and deep below the crust
rock cycle
how many cagtegories of rocks
3 meta,sed,igne
how do sedimentary rocks form
compaction and cementation of rock particles called seiments
where do sediments come from
1.rocks being broken down and moved by the forces of weathering and erosion
2.they are deposited(dropped off)
3.they are compacted(smushed together) over a very long time
clastic is made up of
rock fragment
ex; sandstone,shale
organic are composed of
plant and animal remains
ex;limestone,coal
sed rocks are the only rocks that
conatin fossils
(fossils are preserved remains/imprints of plants and animals
why is it only found in sed and not igne and meta
sed=compaction preserves them
igneous= fire destroys fossils
meta=heat & pressure will crush fossils
what does igenous mean
fire(to ignite)
How is it igneous formed
by melting and cooling
where does igneuous come from
molten rock(liquid rock)
molten rock is magma when
on Earth’s surface
molten rock is lava when
in Earth’s surface(out of the volcano)
igenous rocks can be classified as
instusive rock:form inside the earth from magma
cools slowly forming LARGE crystals
extrusive rock: forms above earth crust from lava
cools fast forming SMALL crystals
the cooling rate of the magma or lava determines the size of the crystals in the rock
Cools SLOWLY=BIG crystals
Cools FAST=SMALL crystals
The graphing relationship of igneuous is
direct relationship
(as cooling time increases,the size of the crystal also increases)
what two groups are meta rocks divided to based on texture
Nonfoliated and Bandng/mineral alignmenr
what does sedimentary conglomerate become when it changed to a meta rock
Metaconglamerate
what change happens when the rock become a metaconglamrate rock
pebbles may be distorted or stretched
what does limestone become when it is metaorphosed
marble
what mineral can be found in ALL foliated meta rocks
Regional(heat & pressure
igneous and meta rocks are formed similar based on how they form
require extreme heat
what are 2 major groups of sedi rocks?
inoraganic and chemical or organic
how are sediments made
erosion and weathering.
