Make Your Own Mineral
What is a mineral?
What do all minerals have in common?
Minerals are the building blocks of rocks. They occur naturally, which means that no one builds them. Minerals look the way they do because of their chemical composition. Chemical composition means the way that molecules, or a very small building block of matter, are placed.
Each mineral is unique and has its own streak, hardness, cleavage, and luster.
Minerals are the building blocks of rocks. They occur naturally, which means that no one builds them. Minerals look the way they do because of their chemical composition. Chemical composition means the way that molecules, or a very small building block of matter, are placed.
Each mineral is unique and has its own streak, hardness, cleavage, and luster.
Today, you will make your own mineral. Make sure that:
1) it is a solid
2) it occurs (happens) in nature
3) it has a definite chemical composition (its insides don't change)
4) it has a crystalline structure (when it breaks it breaks into certain shapes)
5) it must be inorganic (not alive)
Draw a picture of your mineral. Use colors and make sure that we can clearly see its shape.
What is your mineral's name? What is its hardness (1-10), its streak, its cleavage and its luster? What is it used for? Where could we find it?
1) it is a solid
2) it occurs (happens) in nature
3) it has a definite chemical composition (its insides don't change)
4) it has a crystalline structure (when it breaks it breaks into certain shapes)
5) it must be inorganic (not alive)
Draw a picture of your mineral. Use colors and make sure that we can clearly see its shape.
What is your mineral's name? What is its hardness (1-10), its streak, its cleavage and its luster? What is it used for? Where could we find it?