109
3
The Geosphere
Understand
5.
Look at the two pink quartz roses. Explain which one
had more space and time to form.
The pink quartz on the left was probably developed with
more space and time as we can appreciate with a naked eye
that it is more compact. The crystal has edges, vertices and
more defined and appreciable flat faces.
6.
Look at the photo of the galena above. Can you say
that it is a crystal?
Yes, because it has a crystalline structure and a cubic shape.
7.
Explain why amber is not a mineral.
Basically, amber is not a mineral because it is not inorganic.
That means that it was produced by a living thing and
consequently is a petrified or fossilised vegetal resin.
8.
Would you classify factory-made diamonds as mineral?
Factory-made diamonds do not have a natural origin, they
are made by human beings and are not minerals.
9.
Is water a mineral? Explain your answer.
Water in liquid state is not a mineral. But in solid state, as in
ice cubes, and with the condition that a human being has not
intervened in its formation, it is considered a mineral by the
majority of scientists, although there is always a controversy
about this theory.
Create
10.
Look for the definition of mineraloide. Decide if the
glass in a window is a mineral or a mineraloide and
explain your answer.
A mineraloide is a solid substance, natural material, and
inorganic. It has a definite chemical composition and similar
mineral characteristics but without a crystalline structure.
Its particles are not organised as they are in minerals and a
mineraloide does not have a geometrical shape. It is so called
non-crystalline. The glass in a window is a mineraloide or an
amorphous substance.
Understand
11.
Explain the difference between the colour and the
streak of a mineral?
A streak is the colour that is produced when a mineral is
scratched, it does not have to be the colour of the mineral.
Laboratory practical:
THE HARDNESS OF MATERIALS
This laboratory practical is a good way to motivate students and
it will probably make them more interested in the contents that
will be seen during this unit. By doing it, students will become
familiarized with a couple of minerals and also will have a clear
idea of the concept of hardness.
Web page:
THE QUARRY
Minerals are solid and part of the rocks. These are extracted from
the interior of the crust. On this web page, students will learn
more about the properties of minerals and also identify some of
them.
Curricular adaptation:
2. MINERALS
Section adapted according to the curriculum.
