Rocks and Minerals
Cola Gaudu and Meghan Reilly
Compelling Question: Where do
new rocks come from and how are
they classified?
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Minerals pg. 1-4
Chapter 2: Igneous Rocks pg 5-8
Chapter 3: Sedimentary Rocks pg 9-12
Chapter 4: Metamorphic Rocks pg. 13-16
Chapter 5: The Rock Cycle pg. 17-20
Chapter 6: Properties of Rocks 21-28
Glossary pg. 29-30
References pg. 31-32
• Geologists define minerals
as any naturally occurring
inorganic solid that
processes an orderly
crystalline structure that can
be represented by a
chemical structure.
• Crystals are solids
found inside
minerals that give
them their shapes.
• Made up of
elements such as
Silicon, Oxygen,
Carbon and Iron.
True or False?
Rocks are made of minerals.
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There are more than 4,000
known types of minerals.
Feldspar is the most
abundant of all minerals and
occurs in nearly all kinds of
rocks.
Certain combinations of
minerals aide geologists in
classifying rocks
(Sedimentary, Igneous and
Metamorphic rocks)
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End of Chapter
Tasks:
1.
True or False, rocks are made up
of minerals?
2.
What is the Geological definition
of a mineral?
3.
Write a short paragraph that
describes what elements make
up minerals and where else
these elements are found.
4.
Hypothesize how the elements
in minerals may affect the
properties of rocks.
There are two types of
Igneous rocks.
Intrusive and Extrusive
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=RgcMc92CYIE
True or False?
All Igneous rocks sink in water.
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●
Examples of Igneous Rocks:
Gabbro
Obsidian
Pumice
Granite
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On the Earth’s surface,
most igneous rocks are
covered by other types of
rock. However, they are
abundant on the ocean
floors.
The Texture of an Igneous
rocks can be either rough or
smooth depending on their
rate of cooling.
Builders add Pumice to
concrete to make
lightweight building
materials
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End of Chapter
Tasks:
1.
What is the difference
between Intrusive and
Extrusive Igneous rocks?
2.
True or False, all Igneous
rocks sink in water?
3.
Form a small group, discuss
why a rock might float. Write
down what your group
discusses and be prepared to
share with the class.
4.
Analyze what the physical
features of an extrusive
igneous rock may look like.
Sediments are created
when pieces of parent rocks
break off due to weathering
or erosion.
These new sediments are
carried and deposited in a
new location, generally by
wind, water or glacial ice.
When they are deposited in
the new site, these
sediments create layers that
become compacted and
buried.
These buried layers then
create the new sedimentary
rocks.
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Three types of sedimentary Rocks:
1.Detrital- Accumulation of solid
sediment particles derived from both
mechanical and chemical weathering.
2.Chemical- Created largely by
Chemical weathering causing the
makeup of the rock to become altered
(when a substance in a rock reacts to
the environment and forms rust).
3.Organic- Large quantities of plant
remains that are within the layers of
the rocks. Primary example is Coal.
True or False?
Sedimentary rocks may contain Fossils.
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●
The sedimentary rocks at the
bottom of the Grand Canyon
are about two billion years old!
●
Anthracite, the coal that burns
best, is found deepest under the
ground.
Examples of Sedimentary Rocks:
Limestone
Sandstone
Shale
Halite
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End of Chapter
Tasks:
1.
True or False, sedimentary
rocks may contain Fossils?
2.
What is the largest
sedimentary Landform in the
United States?
3.
Using a Venn-Diagram,
compare and contrast two
types of sedimentary rocks.
4.
Hypothesise what you think
the Grand Canyon may look
like in another 100 years
based on what you know of its
previous weathering and
erosion.
Metamorphism means “change of
form. They get there name from the
greek word meta and morphe.
These rocks are igneous or
sedimentary rocks that have been
changed by heat or pressure.This
happens during mountain building
process.
The buried rock then becomes victim
to high temperatures which creates
squeezing and folding.
It is a process that leads to change in
mineral content, texture and at times
the chemical composition.
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What drives Metamorphism?
The agents of metamorphism include
heat, pressure and/or stress, and
chemically active fluids.
During metamorphism, the rocks are
usually subject to all three of these
agents together. Depending on the
environment, depends on the degree
of the each agent.
True or False?
Both sedimentary and igneous
rocks can become a third kind of
rock.
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True!
The great heat that is within the
Earth can make the gradual
change to the shape and hardness
of these rocks!
Marble is a great example. It is a
hard rock, that is good for carving.
Before metamorphism happened
to marble, it was a soft
sedimentary rock called limestone!
●
Marble from pure limestone is
white in color.
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During mountain building shale
was squeezed so hard that the
flaky mineral mica was
recrystallized.
Examples of Metamorphic Rocks
Marble
Slate
Quartzite
Gneiss
End of Chapter
Tasks:
1.
True or False, both
sedimentary and igneous
rocks can become a third kind
of rock?
2.
Does volcanic activity always
create metamorphic rock?
3.
Form a small group, discuss
the meaning of
metamorphism and discuss
how that applies to this
specific rock type.
Describe the process in
which metamorphic rocks are
formed.
4.
The Rock Cycle
Rock is the most common and
there is a large quantity of this
material on Earth.
The rock cycle shows us the
interrelationships among various
parts of the Earth System.
An example of the cycle that
happens in true life is lava flow in
Arizona is considered igneous. The
sandstone in Utah’s Zion National
Park is sedimentary. The final
stage is the schist exposed at the
bottom of the Grand Canyon is
metamorphic.
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The Rock Cycle
Rock Cycle Review
Video:
https://www.brainpop.
com/science/earthsystem/typesofrocks/
The Rock Cycle Song!
End of Chapter
Tasks:
1.
There are five elements that
cause rocks to change form, what
are those five things?
2.
Refer back to the chart, do
Sediments ever become Igneous
rocks? If so, how?
3.
Take this quiz to test your
knowledge and understanding of
the rock cycle… https://www.
brainpop.
com/science/earthsystem/typesofr
ocks/quiz/
4.
Observe the rock cycle on page
18 and deduce which
environmental element is the most
common.
https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=r68iEwYdbh4
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Properties of Rocks
There are 9 properties
that scientists use to
characterize rocks:
1. Appearance
2. Texture
3. Layers
4. Acid Test
5. Hardness
6. Streak
7. Magnetism
8. Electricity
9. Cleavage
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Appearance:
Easiest property to observe
is the color (light, dark,
spotted or streaked).
The Luster indicates the
shininess of the rock or
mineral using terminology
like metallic, glassy or dull.
Transparency, translucency
and opaqueness are also
aspects of appearance.
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Texture:
To Geologist texture refers to
the various sizes that make up
a rock or mineral.
Coarse: This means that the
pieces are large enough to see
Medium: These pieces are
extremely small and you need
a hand lense to see them.
Fine: If the the pieces are so
small even a hand lense
doesn't work, they are called
fine.
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Layers:
When Geologist look for layers
in formation, they are usually
looking for them in sedimentary
rocks.
Acid Test:
Different rocks and minerals
contain carbonates. A weak acid
can be used to test for the
chemicals in different rocks and
minerals.
The acid will react with the
carbonate and make bubbles.
The bubbles contain carbon
dioxide gas.
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Hardness:
Hardness is the resistance of a rock
to being scratched. The hardness of
rocks can be vary from soft to hard.
Mohs hardness ranges from soft
being a 1, and hard being a 10.
Measuring Hardness:
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If a mineral can be scratched
by a fingernail then its between
a 1 or 2.
If a mineral can be scratched
by a coin, then its either a 3 or
4.
If a mineral can be scratched
by a steel nail, then its either 5
or 6.
If a mineral can be scratched
by a diamond, its from a 7 to
10.
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Streak Test:
A streak test is very simple to
do and can help identify rocks.
To be able to create the
streak, one must rub the rock
onto the streak plate. Each
rock or mineral makes a
streak with a definite color.
Soft rocks will leave a larger
streak than a hard rock.
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Magnetism:
Magnets may be attracted
to rocks and minerals that
contain a large amount of
iron.
However, rocks of the
same type with low iron
levels may not be
attracted to magnets.
Electricity:
“ If a rock or mineral contains
enough metal, it may conduct
electricity.”
The electricity of a rock can easily
be tested with a battery, copper
wire and a light bulb.
Cleavage:
The pure form of
Magnetite is magnetic
enough to pick up a small
paperclip!
Cleavage in rocks is the way
some minerals naturally break into
pieces.
Where a mineral cleaves, the
surface is sometimes very shiny.
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End of Chapter
Tasks:
1.
How many properties of rocks
are there?
2.
How are these properties
helpful when classifying
unknown rocks?
3.
create an acrostic poem for
one of the nine properties.
4.
Rank these properties in the
order you believe would be the
most effective form of
classification (one being most
effective form and nine being
least effective).
Properties of Rocks
Culminating Questions:
Look at the all the different rocks!
Write down all the various
characteristics of the rocks you
see!
How can you tell the difference
between the different types of
igneous rocks?
Use a venn diagram! Fill in the
diagram with the different
between mineral and rocks.
What environmental factors cause
changes to existing rocks, assess
the outcome of those changes.
Culminating Activity:
Mystery Rock!
Go outside and pick up any rock. Bring it
in, and use your scientific brains to
hypothesize what type of rock (igneous,
metamorphic and sedimentary).
In class, work with the teacher to go
through the nine properties that classify
rock type.
After gathering the information, make a
summary of your findings and analyze if
your hypothesis was correct. if not
discuss how your findings differed from
your initial thoughts.
Glossary:
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Lava: hot molten or semifluid rock
erupted from a volcano or fissure, or solid
rock resulting from cooling of this.
Cementation: the binding together of
particles or other things by cement.
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Coarse: rough or loose in texture or
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especially that of a partly reflective
surface.
grain.
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Compaction: refers to the process by
which a sediment progressively loses its
porosity due to the effects of loading.
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Metamorphism: alteration of the
composition or structure of a rock by heat,
pressure, or other natural agency.
Extrusive: relating to or denoting rock
that has been extruded at the earth's
surface as lava or other volcanic deposits.
Magma: hot fluid or semifluid material
below or within the earth's crust from
which lava and other igneous rock is
formed by cooling.
Erosion: the process of eroding or being
eroded by wind, water, or other natural
agents.
Luster: a gentle sheen or soft glow,
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Minerals: a solid inorganic substance of
natural occurrence.
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Fine: very small particles found in
mining, milling, etc.
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minerals, as well as the remains of plants
and animals.
Intrusive: igneous rocks that form from
crystallized magma beneath the earth's
surface.
Sediments: can consist of rocks and
●
Weathering: wear away or change the
appearance or texture of (something) by
long exposure to the air.
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References:
(n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2015, from http:
//dictionary.reference.com/
Berger, M., & Berger, G. (n.d.). Rocks and
minerals.
Lutgens, F., & Tarbuck, E. (2003). Essentials of
geology (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.
J.: Prentice Hall.
Symes, R., & Keates, C. (1988). Rocks and
minerals. New York: Knopf.
BrainPOP - Animated Educational Site for Kids Science, Social Studies, English, Math,
Arts. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2015,
from https://www.brainpop.com/
Symes, R., & Keates, C. (2011). Rocks and
minerals (Rev. ed.). New York: DK.
Walker, K. (2012). Rocks. New York: Marshall
Cavendish Benchmark
** The Rock Challenge was found within a rocks
and minerals kit that came from BOCES.
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