Monday, April 12, 2010

Minerals (continued)

Quick Check:

a)  Is salt a mineral?   b)  Is sugar a mineral?  

Salt = Yes; it met all five tests.

Sugar (common table sugar) = No.  It is a solid, it is naturally occurring, it does have a crystal structure, and its composition is always the same (C₆H₁₂O₆).   However, it is organic because it comes from a plant, a living thing.  Because it does not meet ALL five characteristics, it is not a mineral.

There are thousands of known minerals.  When a mineral is found, there are simple tests that a geologist can do to identify the mineral.   You will practice with these tests tomorrow.  To learn about them first, you will view the BrainPOP called "Mineral Identification."

Before you view the movie, you need to have the vocabulary words copied.   (You will also need this graphic organizer to use later this week.  Copy it now or print it when you get home.)

 If you have your notebook ready with the new terms, view the movie.  Watch it a few times if necessary, and remember to take quality notes!  

Trivia bonus (can be found in the BrainPOP resources):  a)  Who is considered the "Father of Mineralology?"        b) What are the essential minerals you should eat everyday?

mineral:   hematite (most common and most important iron ore)	mineral:  salt (shown inside a cave on the coast of the Dead Sea)
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