Earth Science Unit 2 Study Guide KEY
Question/Topic
1. The common name for Pyrite?
2. What are the 5 characteristics
of minerals?
3. What are the types of Luster?
4. Explain the MOHS Hardness
Scale diagram, 1-10 in your
notes and practice.
5. What is most important about
classifying rocks?
6. What is associated with Igneous
Rocks?
7. What are the most common
Extrusive Igneous Rocks? Why?
8. What are common Intrusive
Igneous Rocks? Why?
Answer
Fool’s Gold.
Naturally occurring, inorganic, solid, crystalline
structure, definite chemical composition.
Luster can be Metallic (shiny metal) or Non-Metallic
(anything that does not look like metal).
When looking at a mineral with a dull metal luster it
is called Submetallic.
1-10
1 softest, 10 hardest.
Where (environment) and how (process) it is formed.
Volcanic (pockets of magma or tectonic plates pulling
apart).
Pumice, Obsidian, Basalt, Scoria. Cools quickly – so
fine grain, glassy.
Granite, Diorite, Gabbro. Cools quickly – so course
grain, visibly large crystals.
9. What does the size of the grain
tell you?
Texture – how quickly it cools. If it cool slowly, it has
time to grow larger crystals. If it cools quickly, there
are small or no crystals visible.
10.How are sedimentary rocks
classified?
By the process that forms the particles. Clastic
(chucks of rock) and Non-clastic (chemical &
organic/biological).
Limestone (with seashells)
11.What is a common organic
sedimentary rock?
12.Why would a sedimentary rock
include fossils?
13.Use your Rock Cycle Diagram.
What are ALL the processes that
form a sedimentary rock?
14.Use your Rock Cycle Diagram.
What are ALL the processes that
form a igneous rock?
Because the processes do not destroy them.
Weathering, erosion, deposition, compaction,
cementation.
Melting, cooling, hardening
15.Use your Rock Cycle Diagram.
What are ALL the processes that
form a metamorphic rock?
16.What is the common name for
halite? What kind of rock is it?
17.What are some common clastic
sedimentary rocks?
18.What are some common nonclastic sedimentary rocks?
19.How are sedimentary rocks
arranged?
20.What sedimentary rock can be
found to be chemical and
organic?
21.What are the Parent Rocks for
these metamorphic rocks:
quartzite, marble, gneiss, slate.
22.How are metamorphic rocks
classified?
23.Of the three types of
Magma/Lava, which makes
igneous rocks with the largest
crystals?
24.Why do Metamorphic Rocks
form with partial melting?
Material from Unit 1:
Heat, pressure
Rock salt. Non-clastic, Chemical Sedimentary Rock.
Conglomerate, Breccia, Sandstone, Shale
Limestone, rock salt, chert, chalk
In horizontal layers.
Limestone -- chemical (water evaporated) and
organic/bio (with seashells and fossils).
Sandstone  quartzite
Limestone  marble
Granite  gneiss
Shale  slate
Foliated (colored bands, wavy layers, stripes) caused
by re-crystalized minerals in confined pressure
Non-foliated (no bands, layers, stripes – all one
color).
Rhyolite
Because if there is total melting it would be an
igneous rock.