In Module One Minerals
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St. Petersburg College *
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1000
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Geology
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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docx
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Uploaded by DrGoldfinch1312
What is the formal definition of a mineral? Be sure to highlight at least two segments of
the definition and translate the definition segments into more common language to
facilitate proper understanding.
The formal definition of a mineral is a naturally occurring element or compound that is
inorganic, has an orderly internal structure and characteristic chemical composition, crystal form,
and physical properties. For example, a naturally occurring element would have to exist in nature
without any addition from humans, such as oxygen. To be inorganic, that also means it is not
made by humans, is not alive, and does not occur in liquid or gaseous forms.
Identify at least two physical properties (streak, fracture, etc.) of a mineral while using
examples of common minerals that prominently feature those properties. Provide links
or screenshots of the discussed minerals to illustrate the highlighted properties. Also,
explain what mineral group it belongs to and why.
There are a variety of quartz minerals but this one I am using has physical properties that
include being colorless and has a crystal form. Another mineral that is colorless and commonly
used is diamond. Copper is another mineral but has different physical properties that include
having a color that can be metallic, red, brown, and orange. It is also soft and can be malleable.
Other minerals that are soft include talc and gypsum. Quartz belongs to the mineral group called
silicates because it contains the elements silicon and oxygen. Copper is a non-silicate mineral
because it does not contain silicon or oxygen in it’s chemical makeup.
Quartz
Copper
Describe at least one type of rock (igneous, sedimentary, etc.), how that type forms, and
at least one subtype (extrusive, sandstone, etc.) of that rock and how it develops. Find
an example online and provide links or screenshots of the rock subtype. Your example
should illustrate the most identifiable characteristics of that particular rock type.
My favorite rock type is sedimentary, and it is formed from many smaller rocks during the
processes of erosion, weathering, dissolution, precipitation, and lithification. Erosion and
weathering from rain and wind break down some larger rocks into much smaller ones,
dissolution is chemical weathering where slightly acidic water that wears away the rock.
Precipitation forms rocks from chemicals that are precipitating in the acidic water and
lithification is where sediments on the bottom of a body of water are slowly compacted into
rocks with the weight of the of other sediments. A subtype of sedimentary rocks is sandstone,
which is formed by grains of sand that are compacted and cemented to each other over a period
of up to millions of years. Sandstone is very porous, can have extremely visible layering, and can
vary in colors that include brown, purple, pink and red.
Explain the rock cycle starting with the primordial molten earth and progressing through
the development of different rock types and subtypes, and back, over time.
We start the rock cycle with the primordial molten Earth, or magma, which forms in the
Earth’s crust and upper mantle. Magma then rises to the top of the surface past the surrounding
rocks because magma is less dense. Magma then is called lava when it reaches the surface. Now
we see solidification, where the molten rocks cool, solidify, and become igneous rocks. When
exposed to the surface, igneous rocks will experience weathering and loose pieces then move
down through running water, waves, or wind. The pieces, or rock particles, and sediments are
eventually deposited. These sediments now undergo lithification, which means conversion into
rock, turning into sedimentary rocks after being compacted by weight of overlying materials.
Sedimentary rocks can then become buried or become involved in mountain building, which puts
the rocks under extreme pressures and heat. Sedimentary rocks may react to this change of it’s
environment and turn into metamorphic rock. Finally, if metamorphic rocks are exposed to even
higher heats, they may melt and become magma, and the process starts over again.
Explain what soil is—its makeup, physical properties, and classifications.
Soil is made up of loose surface materials consisting of organic and inorganic materials. When
divided, soil is made up of 5% organic matter, 25 % air, 25% water and 45% mineral matter. The
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three particle types in mineral matter are sand, silt, and clay. These give soil it’s physical
property of texture, and depending on the amount of each will give that texture. If one area of
soil on land has more sand, it will be grittier, and somewhere with more clay will be softer. Soil
can vary in color depending on it’s content and amount of those contents, that’s why we see soil
that looks brown, red, yellow, and black. There are different general soil orders, or
classifications, and they are called Entisol, Inceptisol, Mollisol, Alfisols, Ultisols, Oxisols,
Vertisols, Aridisols, Spodosols, and Histosols.
Resources:
LUTGENS, F. K. (2021).
Foundations of Earth Science
. PRENTICE HALL.
YouTube. (2017, April 21).
Phy-103: Brief soil intro CC
. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-AgAKJhNK8