Download Name: Date: Subject: Minerals Objectives Objective 1: ASWBAT

Name:
Date:
Subject:
Minerals
Objectives
Objective 1: ASWBAT name and describe 4 ways to identify minerals.
Objective 2: ASWBAT describe a mineral using streak, color, and luster.
On a scale of 1 – 3 how well can you meet this objective now.
(1 – Not at all
2 – I know it a little bit
3 – I know it very well)
Highlight your choice.
Objective: 1
Objective: 2
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Key Vocabulary Words
On a scale of 1 – 3 rate how well you know the vocabulary words below.
(1 – Not at all 2 – I know it a little bit 3– I know it very well)
Minerals
Streak
Luster
Color
Hardness
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Pre-quiz
1. What is the rock cycle?
Answer:
2. What are the three main types of rocks?
Answer:
3. What makes rocks different from each other?
Answer:
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Mineral
Minerals are naturally occurring materials that make up every rock and pebble in the
Earth’s crust. Minerals are all formed by natural processes and have a crystalline
structure.
Gemstones
Gemstones are mineral crystals that are beautifully colored or sparkling and are tough
enough to be cut and polished. There are 4,900 different kinds of minerals, but only about
130 of them are gemstones. Of these, only about 50 are commonly used. The rarest and
finest kinds of gemstone are called precious gems; more common kinds are called
semiprecious gems.
To be a mineral a substance must meet five requirements:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Naturally occurring (not made by humans)
Inorganic (not produced by an organism)
Solid
A limited range of chemical compositions
Ordered atomic structure
Minerals
1. What is a mineral?
Answer:
2. How are they formed?
Answer:
3. What is a gemstone?
Answer:
4. What is a precious gemstone?
Answer:
What makes rocks different from each other?
There are many types of rocks in the world. What makes one type of rock of different than
another type of rock are the minerals that the rocks have. Mineral are naturally occurring
substances that are solid at room temperature. There are about 4,900 types of minerals
that have been discovered. Some are made of only one type, but most rocks are a mixture
of many types of minerals. Crystals and gems like quartz and rubies are also made of
minerals.
1. What are rocks made of?
Answer:
2. What makes rocks different from each other?
Answer:
Action! – Look at the minerals out on the desk. How are they different? How are they the
same? How are minerals classified?
Identifying Minerals
Minerals are identified by their properties. Properties are things that can be used to
describe something. For example, you could describe a property of an apple as being red.
Different types of minerals have different properties. These differences in properties can
be used to identify a mineral. Scientists use several different properties to classify and
identify the different minerals that can be found on earth. We are going to learn about 4 of
them.
1. What is a property?
Answer:
2. How do scientists identify minerals?
Answer:
Hardness
Hardness is the ability of a mineral to resist being scratched. To determine a mineral's
hardness, rub the mineral against another known mineral or object to see if it will become
scratched. You determine the hardness of a mineral by testing to see if you can scratch by
a set of minerals that you already know the hardness of.
1. What is hardness?
Answer:
2. How is the hardness of a mineral determined?
Answer:
Color
The color of the mineral can be used to identify it. You simply look for what color it is.
Different types of minerals can be many different colors. Color is easily observed, but not
always a reliable characteristic for the identification of minerals. A number of different
minerals have the same color. A mineral may come in a variety of colors or may even
change color due to the environment.
1. How is color used to identify a mineral?
Answer:
2. Why is color an unreliable way to identify minerals?
Answer:
Streak
Minerals can be identified by their streak color. A mineral’s streak is the color of the
powder left when the mineral is scraped across a special unglazed tile. While many
minerals vary in color to look at, their streak typically remains the same color.
Video Link: Mineral Streak Test - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wENW59poN8Q
1. What is a mineral streak?
Answer:
2. How do you determine the streak color of a mineral?
Answer:
Luster
Another way that minerals are identified is by what is called luster. This is the way the
surface of a stone looks when it reflects light. Here are some words you can use to
describe the luster of a mineral.
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Dull—Plain or rough surface with no reflection.
Greasy—having the look of an oil-coated substance, shiny but not as bright as glass.
Metallic—like the surface of metal, such as aluminum.
Silky— smooth with little reflection, having the look of silk, fine parallel fibers of
mineral.
 Vitreous—like glass, very shiny.
Dull
Greasy
Silky
Metallic
Vitreous
1. What is luster?
Answer:
2. Identify and describe 5 words that can be used to describe a minerals luster.
Word
Description
Brain Pop Video: Mineral Identification
http://www.brainpop.com/science/earthsystem/mineralidentification/
Action! – Lets identify the properties of some common minerals.
Mineral
Color
Microcline (1)
Plagioclase (2)
Hornblende (3)
Calcite (6)
Quartz (7)
Talc (19)
Rhodonite (31) (silver Ore)
Malachite (32) (Copper Ore)
Graphite (36)
Magnetite (38) (Iron Ore)
Bauxite (39) (Aluminum Ore)
Pyrite (40) (Iron Ore)
Gypsum (44)
Action! – Let’s use a mineral identification key.
http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/mineral_id/
Luster
Streak
Quiz
Directions: Answer the following questions to see if you met the objectives.
1. What is a mineral?
Answer:
2. How are minerals formed?
Answer:
3. What is a gemstone?
Answer:
4. What are rocks made of?
Answer:
5. What makes rocks different from each other?
Answer:
6. What is hardness?
Answer:
7. Why is color an unreliable way to identify minerals?
Answer:
8. What is a mineral streak?
Answer:
9. What is luster?
Answer: