Rocks Minerals What is a Mineral A mineral

Rocks & Minerals

What is a Mineral? A mineral is a natural, nonliving, solid crystal that makes up rocks.

Minerals All over the world, each mineral has the same chemical makeup. Scientist have identified more than 3, 000 minerals.

Using Minerals We use minerals everyday!

Properties of Minerals Luster is the property of a mineral that describes how it reflects light. A glassy luster is shiny. A metallic luster looks like polished metal. A soft shine can be described as a waxy, silky, or pearly luster.

Properties of Minerals Some minerals can be identified by their color.

Properties of Minerals Streak is the color of the powder that a mineral leaves when it is scratched across a special plate. Sometimes the color of the mineral is different than the color of the streak.

Properties of Minerals Hardness is a measure of how easily a mineral can be scratched. Diamond is the hardest mineral. It has a hardness of 10.

Properties of Minerals Cleavage is property of minerals that break along smooth, flat surfaces. Some minerals do not have any cleavage. Quartz often breaks into pieces with smooth surfaces that look like the inside of a seashell.

Properties of Minerals

Identifying Minerals To identify minerals you need to look at color and luster, then test minerals for harness and streak. Use a chart to help like this ---> to help you identify an unknown mineral.

What are Rocks? Rocks are a solid material made up of one or more minerals.

Earth's Layer's Earth is made of different layers. The ocean floor and continents make up the Crust. The Crust is made up of rock.

Types of Rocks There are 3 types of rocks: Igneous, Metamorphic, and Sedimentary.

Types of Rocks Igneous describes a type of rock that forms from molten rock. Igneous rocks form from molten rocks called magma. They can form above or below earth’s surface. Usually they are hard and they don’t have layers but they often have crystals that interlock.

Types of Rocks Sedimentary describes a type of rock that forms when layers of sediments settle on top of one another and harden. Sedimentary rocks are made up of soil, shells, bits of rock, and the remain of dead plant and animal matter

Types of Rocks Metamorphic describes a type of rock formed when heat and pressure change the properties of rock. Metamorphic rocks can form from sedimentary rocks, igneous rocks, and even other metamorphic rocks.

Types of Rocks

Types of Rocks