Rocks and Minerals - Year 8 Earth Science (Video Notes)

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering rock types, minerals, properties, identification methods, ores, and common uses based on the provided Rocks and Minerals notes.

What are the three main types of rocks?

Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.

Granite is an example of which rock type?

Igneous rock.

Name a sedimentary rock from the provided list.

Sandstone.

Name a metamorphic rock from the provided list.

Slate.

Name an igneous rock from the list other than Granite.

Obsidian.

Marble is an example of which rock type?

Metamorphic rock.

What is a mineral?

A naturally occurring solid substance (usually a chemical compound) that makes up rocks.

List the five criteria that define a mineral.

1) Solid under normal conditions 2) Naturally occurring 3) Inorganic 4) Fixed chemical formula 5) Atoms arranged in an orderly structure.

Are rocks and minerals the same thing?

No; minerals are the building blocks of rocks.

What is Mohs’ scale used for?

Measuring mineral hardness from 1 to 10.

Which mineral on the Mohs scale is the hardest?

Diamond.

What can affect a mineral’s colour?

Impurities and staining from other minerals.

What is lustre in minerals?

How a mineral reflects light; metallic lustre is shiny; non-metallic can be glassy, pearly, or dull.

What is crystal structure in minerals?

Atoms arranged in an orderly structure; crystals have regular shapes.

What is cleavage in minerals?

The tendency of a mineral to break along smooth planes (e.g., Galena into cubes; Mica into flat sheets).

What is streak in mineral identification?

Color of the mineral’s powder left on unglazed tile; some minerals do not produce a streak.

What is an ore?

A mineral with a large amount of useful metal; usually requires processing to extract the metal.

Name a mineral used in jewellery and electronics.

Gold.

Why is copper important in industry?

Good conductor of electricity; used in wires, generators and motors.