Types of rocks and minerals
Types of rock
Here is some facts about several types of rock:
•Sedimentary Rock--- When grains of sediment are compacted and cemented together, sedimentary rock is formed.
•Metamorphic Rock---When intense heat and pressure squeeze and heat the sedimentary rock to change into metamorphic rock.
•Igneous Rock---When the magma cools and solidifies to become igneous rock. (Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science pg. 92-93)
•Sedimentary Rock--- When grains of sediment are compacted and cemented together, sedimentary rock is formed.
•Metamorphic Rock---When intense heat and pressure squeeze and heat the sedimentary rock to change into metamorphic rock.
•Igneous Rock---When the magma cools and solidifies to become igneous rock. (Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science pg. 92-93)
Classifying rocks
Composition and texture are two important criteria that scientist use to study in detail.
The chemical makeup of a rock is the composition. It describes either the materials or minerals in a rock.
Texture is the rock's quality based on the shapes, positions, and sizes of the grains in the rock. Sedimentary Rock can have a texture of fine-grained, coarse-grained, or medium-grained, depending on the size of the grains that make up the rock. Igneous rock's texture can be coarse-grained or fine-grained, depending on how much time magma has to cool. Metamorphic Rock can also have a fine-grained or coarse grained texture based on the degree of temperature and pressure a rock is exposed to. Clues can be provided by the texture of a rock to where and how the rock formed. (Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science pg. 95-96)
The chemical makeup of a rock is the composition. It describes either the materials or minerals in a rock.
Texture is the rock's quality based on the shapes, positions, and sizes of the grains in the rock. Sedimentary Rock can have a texture of fine-grained, coarse-grained, or medium-grained, depending on the size of the grains that make up the rock. Igneous rock's texture can be coarse-grained or fine-grained, depending on how much time magma has to cool. Metamorphic Rock can also have a fine-grained or coarse grained texture based on the degree of temperature and pressure a rock is exposed to. Clues can be provided by the texture of a rock to where and how the rock formed. (Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science pg. 95-96)
Types of minerals
Here is a list of which rock each of the minerals are found in:
•Calcite---95% Limestone
•Aragonite---5% Limestone
•Quartz---35% Granite
•Feldspar---55% Granite
•Biotite mica---10% Granite(Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science pg. 95)
•Calcite---95% Limestone
•Aragonite---5% Limestone
•Quartz---35% Granite
•Feldspar---55% Granite
•Biotite mica---10% Granite(Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science pg. 95)
What is a mineral?
A mineral is a naturally formed, inorganic solid that has a definite crystalline structure. Rocks are made of minerals, but minerals are not made of rocks. There are four questions that have to be answered "yes" to in order for it to be mineral. The four questions are: Is it a nonliving material? Is it a solid? Does it have a crystalline structure? Is it formed in nature? There are two groups minerals are divided into. The groups are silicate minerals and nonsilicate minerals. (Holt Science & Technology: Earth Science pg. 66+68