Rocks and Minerals

Ms. Cacsire discovered this on her way to the playground. What question can she ask to determine if this is a rock or a mineral?

• How many materials make up the sample?

• Is it cool looking?

• How does it look in the sun?

• Is it heavy?

What property describes how a rock or mineral feels to the touch?

• texture

• luster

• color

A rock is made of two or more-----------?

• Rocks

• textures

• minerals

• crystals

By scratching one rock with another, what are you investigating? You are trying to see.....

• Which rock is cooler?

• Which rock is hardest?

• Which rocks is shinier?

• Which rock has a better texture?

What does the Mohs Scale tell scientists?

• The color of minerals

• Which minerals can scratch other minerals

• Which minerals have the better textures

• Which minerals are the shiniest.

What is the hardest mineral on this Mohs scale?

• Alabaster

• Creedite

• Moissanite

• Spectrolite

Which mineral is the softest on this Mohs scale?

• Alabaster

• Creedite

• Ekanite

• Boracite

Can Creedite scratch Ekanite?

• Yes! It's harder

• No! It's softer

Can Boracite scratch a diamond?

• Yes! It's very hard.

• What are you saying? Of course not! Diamonds are the hardest minerals in the world.

What mineral is the hardest on the Mohs scale? It's number 10!

• Talc

• Diamond

• Quartz

• Topaz