Story of a Rock

This rock formed from a melt. It cooled near the surface, to create definite crystals, but still maintained a fine texture. It is dark and iron rich. From here the rock could change from heat and pressure, or erosion (to form a black sandstone). 

This rock is Basalt.

The Rock Cycle:

Simulations, Models, and Analogues

Definitions:

Simulations: imitation or enactment, as of something anticipated or in testing.
Models: a representation, generally in miniature, to show the construction or appearance of something;or a standard or example for imitation or comparison.
Analogues: of or pertaining to a mechanism that represents data by measurement of a continuous physical variable.


How do they relate to rocks and minerals?

1. An example of simulation done in class is mining for "ore" in chocolate chip cookies. Our ore was, in this case, chocolate chips! This simulations helped us understand the economic and environmental affect of mining. 
We started with our fist cookie by getting as many chocolate chips as we could in the least amount of time. Which resulted in our land (the rest of the cookie) being basically demolished. We received "money" for our chocolate chips, but also received great fines for not preserving our land. 

While "mining" in the second cookie, we were given more time to find the chocolate chips and had to use more precise tools to preserve the cookie around it. Again, we received "money" for our chocolate chips (ore), but did not get fines because our land was still intact. 

2. A few examples of models that happened in class:
-The M&M modeled Earth's crust, mantle, and core. 
http://erinpowleymsed252.blogspot.com/2013/01/m-and-earth-observation.html
-Crystal Model
http://erinpowleymsed252.blogspot.com/2013/03/elements-bonding-and-compounds-oh-my.html

Examples of other models for rocks:
-The Crayon Model can show the rock cycle:
http://www.exo.net/~emuller/activities/Crayon-Rock-Cycle.pdf
A vocab sheet to supplement the model:
http://mjksciteachingideas.com/pdf/RockCycleVocab.pdf
-Metamorphic: Butterfingers bitten in half can model the compression and layering of metamorphic rocks. And Gluten Free!

-Igneous:
Igenous Fudge! 

3. We have been working with several analogues in class. We have created Mineral and Rock Identification sheets that show pictures of the minerals or rocks with information about the minerals or rocks next to it. 

Minerals. Orderly Internal Structure.

Review: Definition of a mineral
-Naturally occurring

-Inorganic

-Solid

-Posses an orderly internal structure of atoms
-Definite chemical composition


Warm Up:

Most common elements found on Earth. Oxygen, Silicon, Aluminium, Iron, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium. Make a pie chart to show the percentages in Excel:

Crystal Shape:

Elements, Bonding, and Compounds, oh my!

Intro to New Unit:

What do elements form when they bond together?
Compounds. Crystals. 
Elements: Where do they come from?
Basics of bonding:
Covalent bonds and Ionic bonds.


How to Grow a Charcoal Crystal Garden:

Time Required: 2 days to 2 weeks

Here's How:

1. Place chunks of your substrate (i.e., charcoal briquette, sponge, cork, brick, porous rock) in an even layer in the non-metal pan. You want pieces that are roughly 1-inch in diameter, so you may need to (carefully) use a hammer to break the material up.
2. Sprinkle water, preferably distilled, onto the substrate until is has been thoroughly dampened. Pour off any excess water.
3. In an empty jar, mix 3 tablespoons (45 ml) uniodized salt, 3 tablespoons (45 ml) ammonia, and 6 tablespoons (90 ml) bluing. Stir until the salt is dissolved.
4. Pour the mixture over the prepared substrate.
5. Add and swirl a bit of water around in the empty jar to pick up the remaining chemicals and pour this liquid onto the substrate, too.
6. Add a drop of food coloring here and there across the surface of the 'garden'. Areas with no food coloring will be white.
7. Sprinkle more salt (about 2 T or about 30 ml) across the surface of the 'garden'.
8. Set the 'garden' in an area where it will not be disturbed.
9. On days 2 and 3, pour a mixture of ammonia, water, and bluing (2 tablespoons or 30 ml each) in the bottom of the pan, being careful not to disturb the delicate growing crystals.
10. Keep the pan in an undisturbed place, but check on it periodically to watch your very cool garden grow!

http://chemistry.about.com/cs/growingcrystals/ht/charcoalgarden.htm

Day 1: March 13, 2013

 

Day 3: March 15, 2013

Minerals

Minerals: naturally occurring, inorganic, solid, posses an orderly internal structure of atoms, and have a definite chemical composition. 

I. Is a snowflake of a mineral?

Is it naturally occurring? Yes.

Is it inorganic? Yes.

Is it a solid? Yes.

Does it posses an orderly internal structure of atoms? Yes.

Does it have a definite chemical composition? Yes.

Is a snowflake a mineral? YES!

II. Is a pearl a mineral?

Is it naturally occurring? Yes.

Is it inorganic? No. 

Is a pearl a mineral? No. 

III. Other minerals:

  


IV. Physical properties of Minerals

Minerals have a crystal form: external expression of the internal arrangement of atoms. (Slow cooling = good form; rapid cooling = poor form)

Luster: appearance of a mineral in reflected light. (Metallic and Nonmetallic- silky, dull, earthy)

Color: least reliable property. Highly variable within minerals due to slight chemical changes.

Streak: color of a mineral in its powdered form; helpful in distinguishing different forms of the same mineral.

Hardness: resistance of a mineral to abrasion or scratching; all minerals are compared to a standard scale; Mohs scale of hardness.

Cleavage: tendency to break along planes of weak bonding; produces flat, shiny surfaces; described by resulting geometric shapes (number of planes, angles between adjacent planes).