Meiji P.
Quan
Name:__________________________ 11 HUMSS-A 30/09/2023
Section:____________________________Date:___________
Lesson
Minerals and Rocks
3 Worksheet
Do you consider water a mineral?
No, I do not consider water a mineral. This is because water does not meet the criteria to be
classified as a mineral because it is not a solid with a crystalline structure.
How about snowflake, or tube ice? Are these minerals?
Snowflakes or tube ice can be considered as minerals if they are formed naturally.
It is no longer a mineral when people produce it as minerals must be naturally occuring.
Activity 1.1 SCAVENGER HUNT
Objective: To look for evidence of minerals present in the objects in our daily lives.
Bring in a collection of common household items and sort them out if they contain
a mineral(s) or not. Identify some household items if it is from minerals or organic
sources.
Answer:
Items that contain minerals:
1. Ceramic Plates: Ceramic dishes contain minerals like clay.
2. Glassware: Glass cups and containers are made from materials like silica (A mineral).
Items from organic sources:
1. Tissue Paper: Paper is typically made from wood pulp, which is an organic material.
2. Wooden Spoon: Wood is an organic material derived from trees.
How important are minerals in our daily lives?
Minerals are fundamental components of our planet, forming the bedrock, rocks, and sediments of
Earth. They also serve as the foundation for our lives, supporting various fields such as engineering,
agriculture, and manufacturing. Just about everything that supports modern living require mineral
resources for production. Minerals and their production are essential for maintaining our way
of life.
1.2 List ten minerals and their common uses. Identify the specific
property/properties that makes the mineral suitable for those uses. For example,
graphite, having a black streak and hardness of 1-2, is used in pencils due to its
ability to leave marks on paper and other objects.
Minerals Common Uses
Quartz High heat resistance & electrical conductivity: Used in electronics and glass making
Copper Electrical conductivity & Malleable: Used in electrical wiring, plumbing, & coinage
Kaolin Fine particle size & chemical inertness: Used in porcelain, cosmetics, & pharmaceuticals
Halite (Rock Salt) Low melting point: Used for melting ice on roads and seasoning
Calcite Hardness & Ability to bond with other minerals: Used for cement production
Hematite High iron content & metallic luster: Used for making steel, pigments, & jewelry
Garnet Hard & has sharp edges: Used for absasives in sandpaper & waterjet cutting
Mica Good insulator: Used in insulation and electronics
Sulfur Flammable & Low ignition temp. : Used in matches
Gypsum Easy to shape, mixes with water, & hardens quickly: Used in plaster casts
1.2.1 Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the best answer. Circle the chosen letter.
1. It is determined by a scratch test
a. hardness c. fracture
b. cleavage d. streak
2. How a mineral reflects light from its surface
a. color c. fracture
b. luster d. streak
3. Color of a mineral in powdered form
a. color c. fracture
b. luster d. streak
4. Which is the hardest mineral?
a. Calcite c. Quartz
b. Diamond d. talc
5. How is the texture described if an igneous rock has large crystals and is
coarse-grained?
a. Aphanitic c. Glassy
b. Aliphatic d. Phaneritic
1.3 Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Which is more abundant in the Earth’s crust?
Igneous rocks are more abundant in the Earth's crust.
2. An unknown opaque mineral has a black streak and has a density of 18g/cm 3. Is
the mineral metallic or non-metallic?
The mineral is more likely to be metallic because it is opaque and metallic minerals
are usually heavy and with dark streaks.
3. How does streak differ from color, and why is it more reliable for rock
identification?
Streak provies a reliable color test for minerals, unaffected by impurities or weathering.
It is especially useful for differentiating minerals when they look the same externally but
have different streak colors. Streak tests are also straightforward and only requires a
streak plate, making it accesssible and practical.
4. Differentiate between habit and a cleavage plane.
Habit refers to the outward appearance of a crystal as it forms, while a cleavage plane is
a structural weakness that can emerge in the crystal after its formation.
5. Define “rock-forming mineral,” and give three examples.
A rock-forming mineral is a mineral that is widely found and makes up significant portions
of Earth's crust, constituting substantial portions of rock masses.
Examples of rock-forming minerals include Alkali Feldspar, Quartz, and Micas.
