NAME______DATE______PERIOD______
MINERALS: The Building Blocks of Rocks!
NOTES
Pages 66-67
1. What is a mineral?A naturally formed, inorganic solid that has a definite crystal structure.
2. FRAYER MODEL: Break down the definition of a mineral! Put each part on a line in our Frayer model. You can refer to the four questions on page 66 to help you.
Does it have a crystalline structure?
Is it a nonliving material?
Is it a solid?Is it formed in nature?
3. Define “elements”. Pure substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical means.
4. Define “compounds”. A substance made by two or more elements that have been chemically combined.
5. Define “crystals”. Repeating pattern of atoms or molecules in a material.
Pages 70-73
6. List the characteristics we use to identify minerals. (Hint: They are the red headings within this section!)
Color, Luster, Streak, Cleavage, Fracture, Hardness, Density
7. Describe how we identify minerals by “COLOR”. We identify a mineral’s color by observing with our eyes.
8. Why is color not the best way to identify a mineral?
Some minerals have a variety of colors and other minerals can change colors.
9. What changes the outward color of a mineral?Impurities or exposure to air or water can change the color of a mineral.
10. Define “LUSTER”.
The way a mineral reflects light (shiny).
11. Describe the three types of luster.
a. metallic: Bright and reflective
b. submetallic: Dull and semi-reflective
c. nonmetallic: glassy, greasy, fibrous, creamy, rough, dull, plastic
12. Define “STREAK”. The color of a mineral in powdered form.
13. Explain how you can find the streak of a mineral.
Rub the mineral against a piece of unglazed porcelain called a streak plate.
14. Explain why streak is more reliable than color in identifying a mineral.
Streak is not affected by air or water.
15. Define “CLEAVAGE”. Give an example.
The tendency of some minerals to break along smooth, flat surfaces (example: Mica)
16. Define “FRACTURE”. Give an example.
The tendency of minerals to break along uneven surfaces (example: Quartz)
17. Define “HARDNESS”.
A mineral’s resistance to being scratched.
18. Describe the Mohs Hardness Scale.
It rates a mineral’s hardness from 1-10. 1 being the softest minerals and 10 being the hardest minerals.
19. Define “DENSITY”.
The measure of how much matter is in a given amount of space.
20. Density is a ratio of an object’s mass to its volume.
21. How is density measured?
Grams per cubic centimeter
22. Because water has a density of 1 g/cm3, it is used as a reference point for other substances.
The ratio of an object’s density to the density of water is called the object’s
Specific Gravity.
22. List some special properties some minerals have that others do not. Give examples.
Fluorescence – Calcite & Fluorite
Magnetism –magnetite & pyrrhotite
Chemical Reaction – calcite fizzes with acid
Taste – Halite is salty
Optical – Clear calcite can make a double image
Radioactivity – radium & uranium can be detected by a Geiger counter.