Crystals & Minerals

Crystals In the crystal lab, we grew two types of crystals.We added 100 ml of water in each beaker. Than we added food color to know which one is what.Later we added minerals such as sucrose and halite.We added it until it started to accumulate and didn't dissolve. The purpose of the lab was to get the crystals solidified.Finally we put the beaker next to the window and waited for it to cool down. Mineral Properties Streak: Is the color of a mineral with powder. Hardness: How hard is the mineral. Cleavage: It breaks evenly. Fracture: It breaks unevenly. Composition: What is inside the mineral. Other Properties:shape, magnetic, and greasy. Mineral Identification Dolomite

-Hardness 3.5 -Color variable -Luster nonmetalic -Cleavage -Use building stones -Composition CaMg(CO3)2 Fluorite

-Hardness 4 -Color variable -Luster non-metalic -Cleavage -Use hydrofluoric acid -Composition CaF2

Rock Cycle

Class J - #4 from Kara MacDevitt on Vimeo.

Rock Cycle

        Like most Earth materials, rocks are created and destroyed in cycles. The rock cycle is the natural process in which rocks transform from one rock type into another rock type over time. Rock cycles take over millions of years to complete. It means that rocks actually do change slowly again and again. The three main rock types are sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous. All rocks are made up of minerals. A mineral is solid  that has chemical composition and traits such as structure, color, and hardness. 

Igneous rocks form in two very different rocks. All igneous rocks start out as melted rock, (magma) and then crystallize, or freeze. Intrusive igneous rocks cool below the surface of the Earth and have big crystals.  Extrusive rocks cool quickly on or very near the surface of the earth and have small crystals. Igneous rocks can change into sedimentary or metamorphic rocks.

Sedimentary rocks are those rocks made up of pieces of other rocks/sediments. They form by compaction and cementation. When these igneous rocks are exposed to weathering and erosion, they break down into smaller pieces that are transported by wind and water to a place of deposition. Deposition is moving  stuff from one place to another. Sedimentary rocks are special because only  the sedimentary rocks contain fossils.

Metamorphic rocks form when sedimentary, and  igneous rocks change by heat and pressure. They also change their mineral structure into new minerals. Metamorphic rocks have two different types. Foliated is a metamorphic rock that has layers. Non-foliated is a metamorphic rock that has no layers. When these  metamorphic rocks are melted, they become igneous rocks, and the cycle starts all over again. 

It is important to understand the rock cycle because these rocks form most of the Earth's surface and it will not be possible for them to form without the rock cycle.

About Me

1. Science is life.
2. I like sleeping.
3. Homework scares me.
4. Pizza is my favorite food.
5. I will be an lawyer when I grow up.
6. I have 1 siblings.
7. My favorite color is red/blue.
8. My favorite thing to do is reading.
9. Watch out for heavy rain.
10. I wish I had a million.