Mighty Mineral Webquest

Name ______Block ____

Part 1: PROCEDURES

1)Go to the following website: ScienceSpot.net

2)At the top right of the page, click on “Kid Zone” (in the gray banner)

3)Under the headinghighlighted “Earth Science,” click on the link for “Rocks and Minerals”

4)Under the heading “Rocks & Minerals,” click on the link for “Mineral Uses”

5)Use the information on the page to fill out the table below and answer the questions.

**Match the mineral with its uses. Write the letter on the line next to the Mineralname.**

  1. ____ Aluminum
/ A. Used to make “copper” pennies, brass, and nails
  1. ____ Copper
/ B. Used to make fertilizer, paper, film, matches, tires, and drugs
  1. ____ Fluorite
/ C. Used in ammoniated fertilizer, adds the “tingly” tastein soft drinks
  1. ____ Galena
/ D. Most abundant metal element; used to make cans, containers, appliances, etc.
  1. ____ Gold
/ E. Compounds used in ceramics & glass; used in rocket propellants, batteries, medicine
  1. ____ Gypsum
/ F. Used in photography, chemistry, jewelry, coins, mirrors, and silverware
  1. ____ Halite
/ G. Used to make electrical wires, brass, bronze, coins, plumbing, and jewelry
  1. ____ Hematite
/ H. A.K.A. “Salt”, used as a food seasoning, water-softener, and to melt ice
  1. ____ Lithium
/ I. Primary source of lead; used to make batteries, fishing weights, and X-ray protection
  1. ____ Mica
/ J. Primary use is for “sheet rock” or wallboard
  1. ____ Phosphate
/ K. Used in sweeteners, the manufacture of computer chips, glass, ceramics, abrasives
  1. ____ Silica
/ L. Used to make fluoride toothpaste, pottery, and hydrofluoric acid
  1. ____ Silver
/ M. Used in dentistry, medicine, jewelry, art, and computers; very malleable
  1. ____ Sulfur
/ N. Primary ore of iron used to produce iron for steel for automobiles, tools, and bridges
  1. ____ Zinc
/ O. May be ground up to add “sparkle” to paints and cosmetics

Based on current consumption, it is estimated that you - and every other person in the United States - will use more than a ______pounds of rocks, minerals and metals during your lifetime.

How many pounds of the following will you use?

______Lead______Zinc______Copper ______Aluminum

______Iron______Clays______Salt______Stone, Sand, Gravel, & Cement

Part 2: PROCEDURES

6)Use your browser’s “Back” button to go back to the previous web page titled “Earth Science Links.”

7)Under the heading “Rocks & Minerals,” click on the link for “Fireworks” and answer the questions below.

  • How many tons of fireworks do Americans use each year? ______
  • What minerals are used to make the following colors or special effects?

Bright Greens– ______

Yellows– ______

Orange – ______

DeepReds– ______

Gold Sparks – ______

Lavender – ______

Bright flashes– ______

Blues– ______

Part 3: PROCEDURES

8)Use your browser’s “Back” button to go back to the previous web page titled “Earth Science Links.”

9)Under the heading “Rocks & Minerals,” click on the link for “Mineral Groups”

10) Click on the “Birthstones” link near the top of the page. Answer the following questions.

  • What is the birthstone for each month? (Use the first mineral listed under each month.)

January:______

February:______

March:______

April:______

May:______

June:______

July:______

August: ______

September: ______

October: ______

November: ______

December:______

  • Which is your birthstone? ______What values does it represent? ______
  • Click on the link to your birthstone and read about it. Write an interesting fact: ______

Part 4: PROCEDURES

11) Use your browser’s “Back” button to go to the previous page titled “Interesting Groupings of Minerals.”

12) Click on the “Gemstones” link near the top of the page. Answer the following questions.

  • What is a gemstone? ______
  • The mineral Quartz is everywhere, especially in common dirt and dust. So any gemstone that is softer than Quartz might get scratched during ordinary wear. What is the hardness of Quartz? ______
  • Based on your answer to the previous question, would it be wise to make jewelry using the colorful mineral Flourite? ______(HINT: look at Moh’s Hardness Scale) Why? ______
  • What is a mineraloid? ______List 2 mineraloids: ______
  • What are two characteristics of Gold that make it a precious metal? ______

Part 5: PROCEDURES

13) Use your browser’s “Back” button to go to the previous page titled “Interesting Groupings of Minerals.”

14) Scroll to the bottom of the page. Click on “4. the normalMinerals by Namepage”. Answer the questions.

  • What is the single most common mineral in the Earth’s crust? ______
  • Which group of related minerals makes up 60% of the continental crust? ______
  • Which is the most common mineral in the Earth (80% of interior volume)? ______
  • The core of the Earth is composed of a mixture of what 2 minerals? ______

15)Click on the letter “B” in the alphabet at the top of the page, then click on the mineral “Beryl.”

  • Whichhighly-prized and valued gemstone is the green variety of Beryl? ______
  • Which popular gemstone is the blue variety of Beryl? ______
  • Luster: ______Hardness: ______Fracture: ______Streak: ______

16)Go back to the “Minerals by Name” page. Click on the letter “C”, then click on the mineral “Corundum.”

  • Which popular gemstone is the red variety of Corundum? ______
  • Which popular gemstone is all the other colors of Corundum? ______
  • Why is Corundum so hard and dense even though it is made of 2 light elements (aluminum oxygen)? ______
  • Luster: ______Hardness: ______Fracture: ______Streak: ______

17)Go back to the “Minerals by Name” page. Click on the letter “D”, then click on the mineral “Diamond.”

  • Diamond and Graphite are both made of the element Carbon. List 3 differences between Diamond and Graphite: I. ______

II.______

III. ______

  • Luster: ______Hardness: ______Streak: ______