Hand out
Earth and Life Science
Topic: Earth subsystem, Minerals and Rocks
Prepared by: MARK O. AGUSTIN, LPT
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the fifth planet in the Solar System with the highest density,
estimated to have formed 4.5 billion years ago through accretion from solar nebula. Among all planets, Earth
is the only
planet with known life and can support life. What makes it habitable? Some studies revealed that it is due to
the following characteristics of the Earth;
right distance from the sun
magnetic field that protects it from harmful solar radiation
insulating atmosphere that keep the planet warm
right chemical ingredients for life including water and carbon
processes that shape the Earth and its environment and constantly cycle elements through the planet,
this cycling sustains life and leads to the formation of mineral and energy that are very essential to life,
Factors that make a planet habitable
Temperature- Life seems to be limited to a temperature range of -15 C to 115 C. In this range, liquid water
can still exist under certain condition.
Atmosphere- Earth and Venus are the right size to hold a sufficientsized atmosphere. Earth’s atmosphere is
about 100 miles thick. It keeps the surface warm and protects it from radiation and small- tomedium- sized
meteorites.
Energy- With a steady input of either light or chemical energy, cells can run the chemical reactions
necessary for life.
Nutrients used to build and maintain an organism’s body- All solid planets and moons have the same
general chemical makeup, so nutrients are present. Those with a water cycle or volcanic activity can transport
and replenish the chemicals required by living organisms.
MINERALS
What are Minerals?
Minerals are the building blocks of rocks. Mineralogists use the criteria
to determine whether a material is classified as a mineral or not.
Characteristics of Minerals
1. naturally occurring- a product of Earth’s natural processes
2. inorganic- it must be product of Earth’s physical processes.
3. homogeneous solid- minerals should have definite volume and rigid shape
4. definite chemical composition—represented by a chemical formula
5. orderly crystalline structure- atoms of minerals are arranged in an orderly
and repeating pattern
Properties of Minerals
To identify minerals, mineralogists observe the following properties:
a. Color - mineral’s color may change depending on the surface.
b. Streak - color of mineral in powdered form.
c. Hardness - minerals resistance to scratching
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Hand out
Earth and Life Science
Topic: Earth subsystem, Minerals and Rocks
Prepared by: MARK O. AGUSTIN, LPT
Mohs Scale of Hardness (Diamond is the Hardest with a scale of
10) 10 - Diamond
9 - Corundum
8 - Topaz
7 - Quartz
6 - Orthoclase
5 - Apatite
4 - Fluorite
3 - Calcite
2 - Gypsum
1 - Talc
d. Cleavage - mineral’s resistance to being broken and fracture
e. Crystalline structure or habit
f. Diaphaneity/amount of transparency - ability to allow light to pass
through it. This is affected by chemical makeup of the mineral
sample.
g. Luster - how light is reflected off a surface
h. Tenacity - describes the minerals reaction to stress.
Brittleness- a mineral turns into powder
Malleability a mineral can be flattened by pounding with a
hammer. Ductility- A mineral can be stretched into wire.
Flexible but inelastic-Minerals are bent but they remain in the new
position.
Flexible and elastic- Minerals are bent, and they bring back to their
original position.
Sectility- ability of minerals to be sliced by a knife.
ROCKS
Earth is a solid rock to a depth of 2,900 kilometers, where mantle meets the liquid
outer core. A rock is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of one or more minerals.
The aggregate minerals forming the rocks are held together by chemical bonds.
Grains can be different in color, texture, and sizes. Geologists then group rocks into
three categories based on how the rocks form: igneous sedimentary and metamorphic
rock. Petrology is the scientific study of rocks. Petrologists classify rocks based on
how they were formed.
Three types of Rocks
Igneous- formed from hardening and crystallization of magma or molten material that
originates deep within the earth.
Two types of igneous rock: 7
A. Extrusive/Volcanic rock - forms when magma makes its way to Earth’s surface
as lava and then cools. The crystals are very small (fine grained) since the cooling
process is fast.
B. Intrusive/Plutonic - It cools slowly beneath the Earth surface and are created by
magma. The intrusive igneous rocks have very large crystals (coarse grained).
Igneous rocks are classified based on
Hand out
Earth and Life Science
Topic: Earth subsystem, Minerals and Rocks
Prepared by: MARK O. AGUSTIN, LPT
1. Composition
FELSIC - light in color; feldspar and silicates
MAFIC - dark in color; made up of magnesium and iron
INTERMEDIATE – between mafic and felsic
ULTRAMAFIC - very dark color
2. Texture- overall appearance of rock
Aphanistic - fine grained
Phaneritic- coarse grained
Porphyritic- large crystals with small crystals
Glassy- non-ordered solid from rapid
quenching Pyroclastic- composite of ejected
fragments Examples:
Obsidian, pumice, basalt, granite, diorite, gabbro
Sedimentary rocks provide information about surface conditions that existed in the
Earth’s past.
● Particles of sand, shells, pebbles, and other fragments of materials called
sediments, accumulate in layers and over long period of time harden into rocks.
● Compaction-due to increase of pressure of layered sediments it bind together to form
the sedimentary rocks.
Three types of sedimentary rocks
A. Castic Sedimentary rock - formed from accumulation of clasts: little pieces of broken
rocks and shells. Examples: conglomerate, breccia, sandstone, shale
B. Chemical - formed when dissolved minerals precipitate from a solution.
Example: Halite - formed when a body of seawater becomes closed off and
evaporates.
a. Organic - rocks formed from the accumulation of animal debris
Example: Coal - composed of organic matter in the form of plants fragments.
Metamorphic - forms from pre-existing rocks: either metamorphic, igneous,
sedimentary
Examples: Quartzite, marble, slate, phyllite
Metamorphism - transformation of one rock type into another.
2 types of metamorphism
1. Regional-due to changes in pressure and temperature over large region of the crust
2. Contact-mainly by heat due to contact with magma
Classification:
A. Texture - refers to the size arrangement ad grains within the rock.
B. Foliation - any planar arrangement of mineral grains or structural features within the
rock.
foliated - appeared banded or layered, contains crystals Example: mica
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C. Non-foliated -made up of only few minerals
