Please also reccomend any websites that can help me. I'm in science olympiad division b and i need to know how to identify rocks and minerals?
2007-03-23 10:46:36 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
I need to know the type of rock. Not if it is a rock or not.
2007-03-23 10:58:46 · update #1
Minerals have several characteristics that can help you identify them.
1. Color
2. Streak - the color of the mineral in powdered form *(powdering the mineral against a porcelain streak plate)
3. Luster - how it reflects light
4. Cleavage - if it breaks along a flat plane
5. Fracture - if it breaks unevenly
6. Hardness - how easy it is to scratch *
7. Some minerals have special properties like iridescence and magnetism
Rocks are identified by how they formed Igneous, Metamorphic or sedimentary and by their mineral composition.
2007-03-23 13:55:10 · answer #1 · answered by evokid 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Minerals can be distinguished by their grain size, color, hardness, luster, cleavage, fracture, magnetism, reaction to cold dilute HCl for example. For basic rock identification, I would first look at the surrounding that you are in and does it seem that the area is primarily sedimentary (rocks that formed from sediment, ie. Sandstone), Metamorphic (rocks that had been altered by immense pressure and heat from within the earth and eventually resurfaced) or igneous (magmatic or volcanic in nature). Does that rock you want to identify seem to match your surrounding area? If not, then it has more than liking been transported from elsewhere (via stream, river, etc). Are individual mineral crystals or grains visible in the rock such as with gneiss or granite or are the crystals/grains smaller than can be seen with the naked eye (shale, siltstone, claystone)? Using a 10x or greater hand lens, look at the rock and identify any minerals that you can within the rock. What is it's density? Is it porous? Without a background in rock identification (at least minimal...an earth science class for example), this may be quite difficult. There are books at the bookstore that help, as well as, various websites listed below. When all else fails....ask a geologist.
2007-03-24 18:20:06 · answer #2 · answered by Shel 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
look for some chart that will lead you into identifying what kinds of rocks and what really is its name..........
ROckS must be:
1. coherently solid
2. formed naturally
3. firm
4. non-living
2007-03-23 15:18:06 · answer #3 · answered by adamantine 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1) is it animal mineral or vegetable? if it is a mineral, it may be a rock. go to step 2.
2) is it hard? if it is, it may be a rock. go to step 3.
3) is it bigger than a breadbox? if so, you have a boulder. if not, you have successfully identified a rock.
2007-03-23 10:54:21 · answer #4 · answered by nuejerz 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
"Love Removal Machine" by The Cult?
2016-03-29 01:22:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pick it up and turn it over. Carefully brush any dirt away, then examine closely. If you see a really little itty bitty penis, then it's a boy rock. Otherwise, it's a girl rock.
The very best website for helping with this is
www. I got 'ur rocks right here!.com
2007-03-23 11:10:37 · answer #6 · answered by Carlos R 5 · 0⤊ 5⤋
Do a search on petrology and mineralogy and you should find plenty of sites.
2007-03-23 11:13:15 · answer #7 · answered by pathc22 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋