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Rocks and Minerals Study Guide
Study this paper and the Identifying Rocks Sheet. Also know the following:
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A rock is a solid mixture of crystals of two or more minerals.
A mineral is made of only one material.
A crystal is a solid geometric form of minerals produced by a repeating pattern of
atoms throughout the mineral.
To determine whether something is a mineral, you can ask yourself 3 questions:
1. Does it have a crystalline structure?
2. Is it non-living?
3. Is it formed in nature?
Some tests scientists do to identify minerals: streak, hardness, color
THE ROCK CYCLE STUDY SHEET
Weathering
Erosion
Deposition
IGNEOUS
Cements Together
SEDIMENTARY
Cools & Rises
Melts
Heat & Pressure
METAMORPHIC
Sedimentary Rocks:
Sandstone
Rough and grainy to touch, formed from particles of sand deposited near a shore with
wave action. May have fossils in it.
Conglomerate
Sediments, pebbles, and other size rocks cemented together by minerals from water.
Shale
Formed from clay deposited in deep, quiet waters. Usually red, brown, or gray. Has a
“muddy” smell when wet.
Metamorphic Rocks:
Marble
Large crystal rock formed from limestone. Usually pink, red, yellow, brown, green, or black
Gneiss
Coarse or rough, parallel streaks of minerals. Formed from a variety of rocks, including
granite and basalt.
Schist
A medium grained rock. Formed from shale or slate.
Igneous Rocks:
Obsidian
A glass formed from rapidly cooled lava. It forms quickly, with no time for crystals to
grow. Used to make tools such as arrow heads.
Granite
Coarse (large) grains, because formed as magma cools slowly deep in the earth. Usually
speckled.
Pumice
Hardened lava froth. The froth has gas bubbles so the rock has holes like a honeycomb.
It floats in water.
Basalt
Fine or small grains. Often a heavy, dark colored rock.