2024 Daily Slides Minerals and Earth's Interior

Definition of a Mineral

A naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition and a crystalline structure.

Five Characteristics of Minerals

Minerals must be naturally occurring, solid, inorganic, have a definite chemical composition, and have a crystalline structure.

Intrusive Igneous Rocks

Igneous rocks formed from magma that cools slowly beneath the Earth's surface, resulting in larger crystals.

Extrusive Igneous Rocks

Igneous rocks that form from lava cooling quickly on the Earth's surface, resulting in smaller crystals.

Silica Content in Lava

Lava that is high in silica is typically thick and light-colored, resulting in explosive eruptions.

Silicate Minerals

Minerals made primarily of silicon and oxygen, which make up most of the Earth's crust.

Caldera Formation

A large depression formed when the summit or side of a volcano collapses into the emptied magma chamber.

Types of Volcanoes

The three primary types of volcanoes are shield volcanoes, cinder cone volcanoes, and composite (stratovolcano) volcanoes.

Density of Earth's Layers

The density of Earth's layers varies from the less dense crust to the denser inner core.

Mohs Hardness Scale

A scale from 1 to 10 used to measure the hardness of minerals, with talc being the softest and diamond being the hardest.