Praxis Elementary Education: Science 5005

Crust

The thin, solid layer that we can see.

Mantle

A rock that behaves similarly to modeling clay.

Outer Core

Very hot liquid iron and nickle.

Inner Core

Very hot solid, mostly iron.

Crust can be either ______ or _________.

Oceanic & Continental

Nuclear Fusions

Two atomic nuclei combine to form a larger nucleus.

Convection Currents

When a portion of fluid is heated, causing it to expand and become less heated.

Convection currents can occur in both _______ and ________.

Liquid and gasses.

Mineral

Naturally occurring, inorganic solid.

Color

The color of the mineral.

Odor

The smell of the mineral.

Taste

The mineral’s taste.

Streak

The color of the mineral in powder form.

How is the streak of the mineral obtained?

Dragging a piece of the mineral across a piece of unglazed porcelain.

Luster

The ability to of the mineral's surface to reflect light.

What are the three luster types?

Metallic, submetallic, or nonmetallic.

Hardness

The mineral’s resistance to scratching; measured in the Mohs scale.

Cleavage

The pattern along which the mineral breaks.

Crystalline Structure

The degree to which the mineral is arranged in a crystal lattice structure; the more crystalline the mineral is, the harder that lattice is to see with the naked eye.

Diaphaneity

The transparency of the mineral or the ability of light to pass through it.

Tenacity

The mineral's ability to resist separation or breaking when subjected to stress.

Magnetism

The response of a mineral when exposed to magnetic materials.

An accumulation of one or more minerals is a ____.

Rock

Igneous

Forms when magma cools; properties vary greatly based on how long the substance takes to cool.

Examples: Granite, Obsidian, Basalt, Pumice, and Porphyry.

Sedimentary

Forms when sediments like clay build up and become cemented together. Due to their formation, they are layered and grainy.

Examples: Sandstone, Limestone, Shale, Chalk, Anthracite, and Siltstone.

Metamorphic

Form when igneous or sedimentary rock gets pulled toward the mantle and is subjected to heat and pressure.

Examples: Slate, Schist, Gneiss, Jadeite, and Marble.

Soil

Upper portion of Earth’s surface; formed by weathering of rocks. The weathering process takes years—thousands of them—but can be sped up by some organisms (like lichens).

What are the four main components of minerals?

I. Rocks and Minerals

II. Water

III. Air (different gasses)

IV. Organic Material (including living and dead organisms).

Constructive Process

Add new land to the surface of the Earth.

Desctructive Process

Break down or destroy landforms.

the constructive process creates:

volcanoes, deposition, and mountain building.

The destructive process creates

Weathering and erosion.

Weathering

A destructive process that wears away rocks and creates soil.

Mechanical Weathering

Where physical forces break rocks down into smaller pieces without changing their chemical structure.

Chemical Weathering

Where chemical reactions occur and force rocks to break down into smaller pieces.

Convergent Boundary

Two plates move toward each other and create crust at divergent boundaries.

Destructive Boundary

Two plates move away from each other and destroy crust at convergent boundaries.