Rocks, Minerals and Soil Summative Study Sheet
MINERALS
Streak is the color of a mineral in powdered form.
Naturally formed, inorganic solid with a definite crystalline structure is a mineral.
The tendency of some minerals to break along smooth, flat surfaces is cleavage.
The ratio of mass to volume of a substance is density.
The way a surface reflects light is luster.
A material’s resistance to being scratched is hardness.
The tendency of a mineral to break along a curved surface is fracture.
(Essay) Determine if each of the following is a mineral or a non-mineral, and explain your
answers: helium, gold, water, ice. Helium is not a mineral because it is not a solid and does not
have a crystalline form. Gold is a mineral because it is a solid, inorganic, crystalline structure
formed in nature. Water is not a mineral because it is not a solid. Ice is considered a mineral
when it is formed in nature because it is a solid, inorganic material with a crystalline structure.
ROCKS
Besides being classified by their composition, rocks are classified by texture.
(Interpret This Rock Cycle Diagram)
According to the rock cycle diagram above, sedimentary rocks are made from
metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary rock fragments and materials.
Heat and pressure create metamorphic rocks. Igneous rocks are created by melting
and cooling. Uplift brings rocks to Earth's surface where they can be eroded.
(ESSAY) Explain the differences between the three main classes of rock and include an
example of each:
The three main classes of rocks are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock. First,
igneous rocks, such as granite form when magma cools and turns into a solid. The type
of igneous rock formed depends on the composition of the magma and the rate at which
the magma cools. Next, sedimentary rock such as sandstone forms when erosion moves
sediment and deposits it in layers. Dissolved minerals seep into the layers and cement the
sediment into a rock. Finally, metamorphic rock such as marble is formed when rocks
change structure, texture, or composition. Any of the three types of rocks can change due
to heat and/ or pressure.
ENERGY RESOURCES
A natural resource is any natural material that is used by humans, such as water, petroleum,
minerals, forests, and animals.
A renewable resource is a natural resource that can be replaced at the same rate at which the
resource is consumed.
A nonrenewable resource is a resource that forms at a rate that is much slower than the rate at
which it is consumed.
Interpret the chart below
84% of the energy used in the world comes from fossil fuels, 16% do not.
SOIL
Soil is a loose mixture of small mineral fragments, organic material, water, and air that can
support the growth of vegetation.
Bedrock is the layer of rock beneath the soil.
Transported soil is soil that is blown or washed away from its parent rock.
Parent rock is the source of mineral fragments in the soil.
Soil fertility is the soil’s ability to hold nutrients and to supply nutrients to a plant.
Humus is the organic material formed in soil from the decayed remains of plants and animals.
Interpret the chart below
At location 5 you would expect to find the most chemical weathering.
At location 4 you would expect to find the least amount of chemical weathering.