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What is a mineral?
What is a mineral?
A mineral is an element or chemical compound that is normally crystalline and has been formed in a geological process
Building blocks of most rocks
Formed naturally by geological processes
There are 3 types of rocks composed of minerals which include: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
Minerals make up Earth’s rock and sands
Homogeneous solid that can be made of a single native element or a compound
Minerals are identified through their physical properties: cleavage, color, hardness, luster, streak, and specific gravity
Quartz
Quartz
Olivine
Olivine
Calcite
Calcite
What are the physical properties of a mineral?
What are the physical properties of a mineral?
The physical properties of a mineral include the cleavage, color, hardness, luster, streak, and specific gravity
Cleavage- tendency of a mineral to break
Color- some minerals have distinct colors while others
Hardness- measure of the minerals resistance to scratching
Luster- reflection of light from the surface of a mineral
Streak- color of residue left by scratching a mineral on a tile
Specific gravity- ratio of density to an equal value of water
Electrons, Protons, Neutrons, and Atoms
Electrons, Protons, Neutrons, and Atoms
All matter is made up of atmos
All atoms are made up of three main particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons
Protons are positively charged
Neutrons are uncharged
Electrons are negatively charged
A simple model of the atom has a central nucleus composed of protons and neutrons (protons have a positive charge and neutrons have no charge)
A mass of an electron is less than 1/1000th of a proton or neutron
^ that means that most of the atom’s mass is in the nucleus
Chemical Bonds
Chemical Bonds
Chemical bonding is a lasting attraction between atoms, ions, or molecules that enables the formation of molecules
Chemical bonds are what keeps atoms together in a resulting compound
Connects temporary connections that are essential to life
Atoms can be connected by strong bonds and organized into crystals
The reason that a chemical bond exists is because atoms are trying to reach the most stable state they can
Formation of minerals
Formation of minerals
Minerals form when atoms bond together in a crystalline arrangement
For a crystal to grow, there are three things that need to be present
Appropriate proportions
Chemical conditions must be favorable
Succificent time for atoms to be arranged
Most minerals that make up rocks around us are formed through the cooling of molten rock, also known as magma
When magma rises up through the crust (by a volcanic eruption or by gradual processes), it cools and crystallizes
Formation of minerals
Formation of minerals
If the cooling process is rapid, components of the minerals will not have time to be organized and only small crystals can form before the rock becomes solid
That will make the rock a fine grained
If the cooling process if slow, the organization will be higher and larger crystals will form
If the cooling process is rapidly fast, the texture will be glossy (no crystals form)
Other formations of minerals
Other formations of minerals
Precipitation from aqueous solutions such as hot water flowing underground, evaporation, can be from lakes, seawater, etc.
Precipitation from gaseous emanations such as volcanic eruptions
Metamorphism is the formation of new minerals directly from the elements within existing minerals under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure
Weathering is the formation in which minerals unstable at earth’s surface may be altered to other minerals
Organic formation is the formation of minerals within shells, teeth, and bones by organisms
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