Chapter 4 Science Study Guide
Minerals, Rocks, Soil, Fossils, and Fuels
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What is a mineral? a solid, nonliving substance found in nature
Where can you find minerals? underground, in soil, in the ocean, and on the ocean floor
How many kinds of minerals are there? more than 3,000
Name and define the 4 properties of minerals.
a. color
cannot use color alone to identify a mineral
b. streak
color of the powder left when rubbed on a white tile
c. luster
how light bounces off
d. hardness
how easily it can be scratched
What is Moh’s Hardness Scale? show hardness of a few common minerals
What are rocks? nonliving material made of one or more minerals
Name and define the 3 kinds of rocks.
a. Igneous
forms when melted rock cools and hardens
b. Sedimentary
forms from layers of sediment
c. Metamorphic
has been changed by heat and squeezing
What is magma? melted rock inside earth
What is lava? melted rock flowing onto earth’s surface
What are 3 things we use every day that come from minerals? salt, gold, iron, graphite
Name 3 ways that rocks are useful. building things, driveways, countertops
What is soil? a mixture of minerals, weathered rocks, and other things
What is humus? bits of decayed plants and animals
How does humus help the soil? add nutrients to the soil
How long can it take for soil to form? 1,000 years
Name and describe the 3 layers of soil.
a. Topsoil
top layer of soil
b. Subsoil
layer with a lighter color and less humus
c. Bedrock
solid rock
Name and describe the 4 soil textures.
a. Sandy
small grains called sand
b. Silty
smaller grains than sand called silt
c. Clay
smallest grains called clay
d. Loam
soil mixture made up of sand, silt, and clay
What are fossils? the trace or remains of something that lived long ago
Name and describe the 3 types of fossils.
a. Imprint
marks left behind
b. Mold
an empty space where something once was
c. Cast
when minerals seep into a space and harden
What are fossil fuels? a fuel that forms from the remains of plants and animals
What is a renewable resource? a resource that can be easily replaced
What is a nonrenewable resource? a resource that cannot be easily replaced or reused