Rocks and Minerals The Rock Cycle Minerals A mineral is a naturally occurring solid that has...
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Transcript of Rocks and Minerals The Rock Cycle Minerals A mineral is a naturally occurring solid that has...
Minerals
• A mineral is a naturally occurring solid that has definite composition and structure
• Scientists use physical properties to identify minerals
Properties of Minerals
• Color - not always reliable. The color can vary among different samples
• Luster - the way a mineral reflects light– Metallic– Nonmetallic
More Properties of Minerals
• Cleavage - the way in which a mineral breaks
• Hardness - the ability of a mineral to resist being scratched– Mohs’ Hardness Scale• 1-10• Diamond is the hardest mineral (10)
More Properties of Minerals
• Streak - the color of powder when it is rubbed against a ceramic tile
• Magnetism - Magnetite is magnetic
• Odor Sulfur is mineral that smells like rotten eggs
• Taste- Halite is a mineral that tastes like salt
The Importance of Minerals
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3 Types of Rocks
• Metamorphic - formed when tremendous heat and pressure change existing rock
• Igneous - formed when hot liquid magma exits through a volcano
• Sedimentary - formed when sediments are compacted and cemented together