Earth Science 11: Minerals

Earth Science 11: Minerals Page 1

lName: Date:

Earth Science 11: Minerals

Purpose: I can identify and classify minerals using their physical and chemical properties

Text Pages: 90-111 *This is recommended reading!

Matter and Atoms (5.1)

Matter

-Everything with mass and volume is called ____________________, which is made up of

____________________.

-Elements are in turn made up of particles called ____________________.

-It is important to know about the internal arrangement of atoms in a substance as this determines its

properties.

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________


Atom Structure

-Because atoms are so important in shaping the properties of a mineral, it is important to know

a little about them.

-The nucleus contains ____________________ and ____________________.

-The number of protons is the atom’s ____________________ and is equal to the atom’s

number of electrons.

-Electrons are ____________________ charged and are found in __________ levels around

the nucleus.

*The number of protons and electrons in an atom determines its properties.

-Information about elements and their atoms can be found on the periodic table:

-Potassium’s atomic number is 19 and its most common isotope has a mass number of 39. Find its:

a) # of protons ________________________________________________________________________

b) # of neutrons _______________________________________________________________________

c) # of electrons _______________________________________________________________________


Bonding of Atoms

-Substances consisting of only one element are called ____________________.

-Most substances are ____________________ and contain atoms of _____ elements that are chemically

combined.

-Why do many atoms want to form compounds? _____________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

-There are three types of bonds formed by the sharing, gaining or losing of electrons:

a) Covalent Bond

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

b) Ionic Bond

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________


c) Metallic Bonds: _____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

What is a Mineral (5.2)

-A mineral is any matter with all of the following characteristics:

1. _____________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________

_______________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________

_______________________________________________

5. _____________________________________________ Mexico’s Cueva de los Cristale

How do Minerals Form?

*Complete Activity 1.1 pg 2 – 8


Structure of Minerals: Crystal Structure

-A crystal is a geometric solid with smooth surfaces called crystal faces.

-Ionic bonding between Na+ and Cl- ions results in a repeating pattern of each sodium ion being

surrounded by six chlorine ions and each chlorine ion being surrounded by six sodium ions. Produces a

cubic crystal (all Sodium Chloride crystals will have this shape!).

-Each mineral crystal has a unique shape that can be used to identify it.

Halite (NaCl): Cubic cleavage Calcite (CaCO3): Rhombohedral cleavage

-Are crystal faces always present? _________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

-Cleavage: ___________________________________________________________________________



Mineral Structure: Silicates

-Minerals composed of _______________ and _______________ are called silicates. More than _____%

of Earth’s crust are silicates

-Silica tetrahedrons are the __________ ____________ ________ of silicates.

-Arrangement of silica tetrahedrons in a silicate determines many minerals characteristics. Write a brief

note for each characteristic provided below:

a) Mineral’s melting/vaporizing temperature ________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

b) Mineral’s cleavage ___________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

c) Mineral’s hardness ___________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

d) Mineral’s density ___________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________


*Complete Mineral ID Lab (Activity 19 pg. 13)


Earth Science 11: Earth Materials, Rock Cycle

Purpose: Describe the formation of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks and understand

their positions within the rock cycle.

Text Pages: Chapter 2, pages 44 to 46 *This is required reading!

Part A: The Rock Cycle

*Examine the diagram below and watch the Rock Cycle Smarfigure.

http://media.pearsoncmg.com/bc/bc_0media_geo/smartfigure/sf-RockCycle.html


Use the table to describe the pathway the parent rock is transformed into the daughter rock:

Parent Rock Pathway Daughter Rock

Extrusive Igneous

Weathering, erosion, deposition,

lithification

Sedimentary

Metamorphic

Melting, cooling

Igneous

Intrusive Igneous

Metamorphism (heat and

pressure)

Metamorphic

*Remember, all rocks are made up of minerals!

*Complete Activity 2.1 pg. 28


Earth Science 11: Earth Materials, Igneous Rocks

Purpose: -Describe the formation of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks and understand

their positions within the rock cycle.

-Identify and classify rocks using their physical and chemical properties.

Text Pages: Chapter 1, pages 46 to 53 *This is recommended reading!

Part A: Formation

Igneous rocks are formed by the following pathway:

a) Movement of magma towards Earth’s surface (magma is

warm and less dense than surrounding material).

b) Crystallization of magma. Atoms slow in their movement

and become arranged in orderly patterns.

c) Crystals grow in size until their edges meet. All liquid is

eventually turned into a mass of interlocking crystals.

Igneous rocks can be classified as intrusive or extrusive, depending on if they form below or above

ground.

Crystallization can be affected by cooling time and parent magma composition.

Part B: Texture

A rock’s texture described the size, shape and arrangement of its mineral grains.

Texture is very useful in determining the environment in which rock’s formed.


*Examine the diagram below and watch the smartfigure on texture.

Which of the igneous textures above best describe a rock that:

a) Cooled so quickly its atoms froze in place without forming mineral crystals?

-Glassy Texture

b) Cooled slowly for millions of years below ground?

-Coarse-grained (Phaneritic) texture.

c) Began cooling slowly underground but finished crystallizing quickly when it was ejected above Earth’s

surface?

-Porphyritic texture.

d) Crystallized rapidly at Earth’s surface and contained a large amount of gas or water vapour?

-Fine Grained (Aphanitic) and Vesicular texture.

http://media.pearsoncmg.com/bc/bc_0media_geo/smartfigure/sf-IgneousTextures.html


Use what you know about rock texture to determine the formation environment of the rocks below:

Sample A Sample B

Image

Formation

Environment

(Intrusive or

Extrusive)

Above Ground (Extrusive)

Underground (Intrusive)

Evidence of

Formation

Environment

-No visible mineral crystals

(indications of quick cooling), termed

Aphanitic

-Large mineral crystals (indications of

slow cooling, which only occurs

underground), called Coarse-Grained

*Complete Activity 2.2 pg. 30

Part C: Igneous Rock Families

Igneous rocks are divided

into four basic families based

on their proportion of:

a) Light silicate minerals,

which are silica, potassium

and sodium rich.

b) Dark silicate minerals,

which are iron, magnesium

and calcium rich.


Remember that all minerals contain silica tetrahedrons, but in different quantities. How much silica a

rock possesses can affect its overall characteristics.

Below is a graph illustrating the same concept as the chart on the previous page, but with an emphasis on

silica tetrahedron bonds.


1. Felsic Igneous Rocks: Granitic

Felsic rocks form from magma containing a large amount (~70%) of the

light silicate minerals feldspar (Fel) and silica (Sic) and little (~10%) dark

silicate minerals.

Identify the minerals found in the granite sample to the right. Which are

light silicate minerals?

-Black: Biotite. Dark Silicate.

-White: Plagioclase Feldspar. Light Silicate.

-White/Clear: Quartz

-Salmon: Potassium Feldspar. Light Silicate.

Why are Felsic rocks commonly light coloured?

-Contain primarily light silicate minerals with very little iron and magnesium.

Most Felsic rocks are intrusive. Why do you think this could be?

-Parent magma has a high silica content. This makes them very resistant to flow as all of the silica bonds

must be broken for this to happen. Only intense pressure can push felsic magma above ground and this

produces violent volcanic eruptions (Mount. St. Helens).

2. Mafic Igneous Rocks: Basaltic

Mafic rocks form from magma containing a large amount of the dark silicate minerals Magnesium (Ma)

and Iron and little light silicate minerals.

Will Mafic rocks be lighter or darker than Felsic rocks? Why?

-Darker, as made up of dark coloured silicate minerals.

Will Mafic rocks be heavier or denser than igneous rocks? Why?

-Denser, as their components are made of heavier elements.

Pumice (Felsic) Scoria (Mafoc)


3. Intermediate Igneous Rocks: Andesitic

Contain a mixture of both light and dark coloured silicate minerals, but mainly plagioclase feldspar and

amphibole. As such, they are commonly medium gray to green in colour.

Associated with volcanic activity at the edge of continents where mafic magma mixes with felsic

continental crust to form an intermediate magma.

4. Ultramafic Igneous Rocks

Peridotite is the only ultramafic rock and is largely composed of olivine and pyroxene with very little

light coloured silicate minerals.

Ultramafic rocks are rare, but important parts of the upper mantle.


Part D: Classifying Igneous Rocks

Igneous rocks are classified based on their textures and compositions.

*Watch the smartfigure on Classifying Igneous Rocks.

*Complete Activity 2.3 and 2.4 pg. 31 - 34

http://media.pearsoncmg.com/bc/bc_0media_geo/smartfigure/sf-IgneousClassification.html

Earth Science 11: Minerals

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