Module 1 Assignment
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School
Southern New Hampshire University *
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Course
103
Subject
Geology
Date
Apr 3, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
4
Uploaded by DrSeaLion2258
Brooke Hart
PHY 103
McCann
1/5/24
Module One Assignment
According to the textbook, a mineral is “any naturally occurring inorganic solid that possesses an orderly crystalline structure and a definite chemical composition that allows for some variation.” (Lutgens, F. K., Tarbuck, E. J., & Tasa, D. G, 2016). Minerals are naturally occurring solids, so man-made materials in a lab are not considered minerals. They are crystalline substances that are made up of atoms and the way the atoms are structurally packed together, Minerals consist of different physical properties such as streaks and tenacity. A streak is the color of powder the mineral leaves behind when you rub it against another hard surface and is used when identifying minerals
(Lutgens, F. K., Tarbuck, E. J., &
Tasa, D. G, 2016). Gold for
example if rubbed against a streak
plate would leave a yellow streak.
Pyrite, on the other hand, leaves a
brown or dark green streak.
Tenacity describes how different
minerals respond to physical stress such as breaking easily or bending like elastic. If you were to take a hammer to gold, which is a dense native transition metal and a chemical element of Group
11 on the periodic table, it would not shatter. Figure 1 Gold on a streak plate - (Ali, 2023)
Rocks are solid masses of minerals that occur naturally on our planet and usually consist of different types of minerals but can consist of
one mineral. Some rocks can form from already
existing rocks, and these are called sedimentary.
They are formed from the accumulation and
deposition of organic particles such as sand,
water, and mud. A common sedimentary rock is
limestone which starts as an organic particle
which are carried through rivers and streams and
deposited into bigger bodies of water such as lakes and oceans. Once these particles are buried under sand or mud they are cemented, later forming into the sedimentary rock. The rock cycle explains how the major rock types, igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary, are formed and allows us to see the interaction and relationship between different materials and components of Earth that work together to form these rocks. The rock cycle begins with magma, a dense type of molten rock that is formed from the melting within the Earth’s crust
and upper mantle. Once magma erupts through the surface making lava, it solidifies by cooling, then becoming an igneous rock. At the surface, igneous rocks are subjected to weathering which breaks them down into small particles known as sediment that deposit into large bodies of water such as the ocean and lakes. After these particles are deposited into those bodies of water, they become buried and cemented under other materials, and then convert to sedimentary rock. This process is called lithification. These sedimentary rocks become deeply buried, sometimes deep to
where tectonic plates meet, where they are subjected to high temperatures and pressure, melting Figure 2 Limestone, a common sedimentary rock - (Limestone, 2015)
the rock into magma, and thus restarting the cycle (Lutgens, F. K., Tarbuck, E. J., & Tasa, D. G, 2016). Soil, or dirt, is a loose surface material that is made up of minerals, gases, organic matter, water, and living organisms. It is formed when weathered rocks are broken down and disintegrated. Soil is classified into three different classes which are coarse-grained like sand and
gravel, fine-grained like silt and clay, and highly organic. There are different physical properties of soil that include texture, color, structure, density, and temperature (Lutgens, F. K., Tarbuck, E. J., & Tasa, D. G, 2016). These properties affect the sustainability of soil and affect different processes like erosion and nutrient cycling. The texture of the soil, which is the proportions of sand, clay, and silt, for example, affects infiltration and water storage and movement. If the soil has a sand texture, it will not be good for holding water but will be good for fast drainage.
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Sources Cited
Ali, W. (2023, August 13). How Streak is used in Minerals Identification using a porcelain plate?
Geology Desk. https://geologydesk.com/how-streak-is-used-in-minerals-identification-using-a-
porcelain-plate/
Limestone. (2015, March 14). https://geologylearn.blogspot.com/2015/03/limestone.html
VectorMine. (2021, March 24). Rock cycle transformation and stone formation process labeled outline. . . iStock. https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/rock-cycle-transformation-and-stone-
formation-process-labeled-outline-diagram-gm1308852822-398728960
Lutgens, F. K., Tarbuck, E. J., & Tasa, D. G. (2016). Foundations of earth science (8th ed.). Pearson.