By: Jessica McClure
& Heather Peterson
Types of Earth Materials3 Basic Soils
SandSiltClay
3 Basic Rock TypesSedimentaryIgneousMetamorphic
5 Basic MineralsQuartzCalciteCopperGoldSilver
General Facts About Soils Soil is a thin layer of material on the earth’s surface
which plants have their roots in Soil is made up of weathered rock, decayed plant and
animal manner, formed over a long period of timeSoils get smaller the more they have been transported
very coarse soils usually indicate a short distance of travel very soft soils usually indicate a long distance of travel
Most soils are made up of a combination of 3 soilsTexture: how it looks and feels depends on the amount
of each type in that sample
Soil Index
3 Basic types of SoilSand ClaySilt
Earth Materials Index
SandSmall loose grains of
rockOften quartz Redish or brownish
yellow in color.06mm to 2mm in
sizeFound on beaches
Soil Index
SiltEarthy matter or fine
sand carried by moving or running water left behind as sediment
Finer than sand but still feels gritty when rubbed on your teeth
Too small to measureFound
Soil Index
ClayA natural earthy
materialPlastic when wet Hardens when heatedConsists of hydrated
silicates of aluminum Used for making bricks,
pottery, etc. Like mud smaller than
sand and siltPure Clay will feel
smooth on your skin Forms a sticky ball when
wet.Soil Index
General Facts About RocksOldest rocks on earth were formed about 3.8
billion years agoRocks that form the earth’s crust are continually destroyed and remade in a
process called “The Rock Cycle” 3 Basic Types of Rocks:
Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic
Earth Materials Index
Igneous Rocksform when magma also known as molten
rock rises from deep under ground and cools and solidifies at or near the earth’s
surface. Igneous rocks that form under the earth surface may later reach the surface due to
geological upheaval. may also be exposed as the rocks above
are worn away.2 Examples of Igneous Rocks:
Granite and Basalt
Igneous Rocks
Granitepink to dark grey or black
and many other colorsmassive, hard, and toughOften used as a
construction stoneFormed from magma
BasaltColor, un-weathered basalt
is black or greyKnown to be hard and
strongAlso formed on the moon,
Mars, Venus, and an asteroid called Vesta
Formed from magma
Rock Index
Sedimentary Rocksmade of fine rock particles that have been
worn away and then carried by rivers glaciers or wind
collect in lakes and oceans The tiny fragments are squashed and
cemented together through a process called Lithification
2 Examples of Sedimentary Rocks: Sandstone and Limestone
Sedimentary RocksSandstoneis hard compact and fine
grained rock made up of tiny grains of quartz or fledspar
Hardness 6-6.5Color, can be any color
but the most common are tan, yellow, brown, red, grey, and white
Limestoneformed at the bottom of
lakes and seas along with shells, and bones
Hardness of 3-4Color, light and dark
blue, green and greenish blue
Often used as decorative and building stone
Rock Index
Metamorphic RocksForm when existing rocks are changed
underground by great heat or pressure or both When volcanoes erupt and mountains are formed by the movement of earths tectonic
plates rocks are heated and squeezed The minerals in the rocks are then changed
forming metamorphic rocks.2 Examples of Metamorphic Rocks:
Marble and Slate
Metamorphic RocksSlatedense and fine grained
rockHardness of 3-4Color, generally grey red
brown and green ranging from dark to light
Often used for roofing (shingles)
MarbleCreated over time from
limestone with heat and pressure
Hardness of 3-4Color, white, blue-grey,
green, grayish white, perfect white, red, comes in many colors
Often used for construction (in homes)Rock Index
General Facts About MineralsMaterials that make up the rocks of the earth’s
crust Among thousands of different minerals only a
few including quartz, feldspar, and calcite form most rocks
Native minerals such as gold and copper contain one chemical element
Compound minerals such as quartz contain two or more chemical elements
5 Basic Types of Minerals: Quartz, Calcite, Copper, Gold & Silver
Earth Materials Index
QuartzMost abundant
mineral in the earth’s continental crust
Hardness of 7 Color: clear if perfectShine: glossy Crystal habit: (what it
looks like when formed) a six sided prism ending in a six sided pyramid Minerals
Index
CalciteBest known because of it’s
power to produce strong double reflection of light such that, objects viewed through a clear piece of calcite appear doubled in all of their parts
Hardness of 3Color: colorless or white,
sometimes grey, yellow, or green
Shine: transparent – opaque (looks like glass)
Crystal habit: crystallized rhombohedra (see picture, looks like a rhombus) similar to some chocolate bars
Minerals Index
Copperan essential trace nutrient
to all high plants and animals. In animals including humans it is found primarily in the bloodstream however, in large amounts can be dangerous even deadly to plants and animals
Hardness of 3Color: supple in it’s pure
state, metallic bronzeShine: pink which is unusual
for metals because most metals are a silvery white
Crystal habit: face centered cubic Minerals
Index
Golda highly sought after
precious metal having been used as money, in jewelry, in sculpture and for ornamentation since the beginning of recorded history
Hardness of 2.5Color: one of the only
elements with a natural color other than grey or white
Shine: metallic, shiny on a clean surface and dull on a worn face
Crystal habit: cubic face centered (looks like a blob!) Minerals
Index
SilverMainly produced by
a byproduct of copper, gold, lead, and zinc refinined
Hardness of 2.5Color: lusterous
white metal—silverShine: soft whiteCrystal habit: face
centered cubic Minerals Index
Top Related