Chapter Overview
This chapter examines minerals—the naturally occurring chemical elements and compounds forming rocks—and their physical properties like hardness, crystal form, cleavage, streak, lustre. It then explores rocks—their types (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic), formation processes, classifications, and the rock cycle connecting them.
Important Keywords
- Mineral: Natural inorganic substance with definite chemical composition and crystalline structure :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.
- Crystal form: External shape determined by internal molecular arrangement (e.g., cubic, prismatic) :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
- Cleavage & fracture: Tendency to break along planes; fracture = irregular break :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}.
- Lustre: Quality of light reflection (metallic, vitreous, silky) :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}.
- Streak: Colour of powdered mineral :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.
- Hardness: Resistance to scratch on Mohs scale (1–10) :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.
- Igneous rocks: Formed from cooling magma/lava; primary rocks :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}.
- Sedimentary rocks: Deposited and compacted fragments or organisms; layered :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.
- Metamorphic rocks: Altered by heat, pressure, chemical processes :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.
- Rock cycle: Continuous transformation among rock types driven by geologic processes :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}.
Detailed Notes
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