Minerals | Earth and Life Science

Summary

This educational video script delves into the world of minerals, defining them as the building blocks of rocks and highlighting the significance of mineralogy. It outlines the essential characteristics minerals must possess, including being naturally occurring, inorganic, and having a definite chemical composition and crystalline structure. The script also emphasizes the importance of minerals in everyday life, lists the physical properties used for mineral identification, and concludes with the steps a mineralogist takes to identify minerals, sparking curiosity about the diverse roles minerals play in our world.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Minerals are the fundamental building blocks of rocks, with the Earth's crust being composed of various types of rocks, each an aggregate of one or more minerals.
• 🔍 Mineralogy is the scientific study of minerals, and a mineralogist is a specialist in this field, focusing on the identification and properties of minerals.
• 📜 Minerals must exhibit five key characteristics to be classified as such: they are naturally occurring, inorganic, have a homogeneous solid structure, a definite chemical composition, and are crystalline in structure.
• 💎 Mineraloids are naturally occurring substances that lack crystallinity but possess chemical compositions similar to minerals, such as opal.
• 🛠️ The importance of minerals is highlighted by their widespread use in everyday life, including in glass, toothpaste, makeup, and electronics, and their essential role in human survival.
• 🌐 There are over 4,200 different minerals identified, with only about 100 being common, and rare ones like gold and silver holding significant value.
• 🎨 Physical properties of minerals, such as luster, color, streak, hardness, cleavage, specific gravity, crystal form, and tenacity, are crucial for their identification and classification.
• 📏 The Mohs hardness scale is a standard for measuring the scratch resistance of minerals, ranging from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond), aiding in mineral identification.
• 🔬 Specific gravity is a measure of a mineral's density relative to water, influencing whether it will float or sink, and is an important physical property for mineral identification.
• 📐 Crystal form, or habit, refers to the external shape of a mineral crystal, which is influenced by its internal structure and can be a distinctive feature for identification.
• 🔬 Tenacity refers to the cohesiveness of a mineral, with properties such as brittleness, malleability, ductility, flexibility, elasticity, and sectility aiding in the mineral's identification.

Q & A

What is the main topic of Module 3?

The main topic of Module 3 is minerals, including their definition, importance, and physical properties.

What are mineralogists and what do they study?

Mineralogists are scientists who study minerals, and mineralogy is the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals.

What are the five characteristics a substance must have to be considered a mineral?

A substance must be naturally occurring, inorganic, a homogeneous solid, have a definite chemical composition, and be crystalline in structure to be considered a mineral.

What is the difference between a mineral and a mineraloid?

A mineraloid is a naturally occurring, mineral-like substance that does not demonstrate crystallinity, unlike a mineral which must have a crystalline structure.

Why are minerals important in everyday life?

Minerals are important because they are used in various applications such as making glass, toothpaste, coins, white paint, makeup, and electronic components.

How many minerals are there in the world, and how many are considered common?

There are over 4,200 different minerals in the world, but only about 100 are common.

What is the term used to describe the brightness of light reflected from a mineral's surface?

The term used to describe the brightness of light reflected from a mineral's surface is 'luster'.

What is the 'streak' of a mineral and why is it important for identification?

The 'streak' of a mineral is the color of its pulverized powder and is important for identification because it is generally more constant than the color of the mineral itself.

What is the Mohs hardness scale, and how is it used to identify minerals?

The Mohs hardness scale is a scale from 1 to 10 that measures the scratch resistance or durability of a mineral, with 1 being very soft and 10 being the hardest known substance, diamond. It is used to identify minerals by comparing their hardness to known standards.

What is 'cleavage' in mineralogy, and how does it differ from 'fracture'?

Cleavage is the ability of a mineral to break along flat planes, controlled by the mineral's internal structure. Fracture, on the other hand, is the irregular breaking of a mineral without cleavage, resulting in a rough surface.

What is 'specific gravity' and how does it relate to a mineral's density?

Specific gravity is the ratio of the mass of an object to the mass of an equal volume of water. It relates to a mineral's density by providing a measure of how heavy the mineral is compared to the same volume of water.

What are the different types of tenacity in minerals, and what do they indicate?

Types of tenacity include brittleness, malleability, ductility, flexibility, elasticity, and sectility. They indicate the mineral's cohesiveness or how it breaks, bends, or deforms when subjected to pressure or force.

What are some special properties used in identifying minerals, besides the physical ones?

Besides physical properties, special properties used in identifying minerals include taste, odor, streaks, magnetism, double refraction, X-ray diffraction, and chemical reactions with specific substances.

What is the correct sequence in identifying minerals as used by a mineralogist?

The correct sequence in identifying minerals is: luster, hardness, streak, color, crystal form or habit, cleavage, specific gravity, and other special properties.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Minerals and Mineralogy

This paragraph introduces the topic of Module 3, which focuses on minerals. It explains that minerals are the building blocks of rocks and that the Earth's crust is composed of various rocks, each containing one or more minerals. The term 'mineralogy' is defined as the study of minerals, and 'mineralogist' as the person who studies them. The paragraph outlines the characteristics that a substance must have to be considered a mineral, including being naturally occurring, inorganic, having a homogeneous solid, a definite chemical composition, and a crystalline structure. It also introduces the concept of 'mineraloids,' which are mineral-like substances that lack crystallinity, with opal being a notable example.

05:08

🔍 Identifying Minerals in Everyday Objects

The second paragraph delves into an activity designed to identify minerals in everyday objects such as a pencil, salt, cell phones, cars, and roads. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing the presence of minerals in various items we use daily. The paragraph also discusses the significance of minerals in our lives, highlighting their use in the creation of common products like glass, toothpaste, coins, and makeup. It mentions that humans require 16 essential minerals for survival, including sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. The vast diversity of minerals is noted, with over 4,200 identified, but only around 100 being common, while others like gold and silver are rare.

10:19

🌈 Physical Properties for Mineral Identification

This paragraph discusses the physical properties that mineralogists use to identify minerals. It begins with 'luster,' which refers to the way minerals reflect light, categorizing them as metallic, non-metallic, glassy, or earthy. The paragraph then moves on to 'color,' noting its variability and its limited use in mineral identification due to inconsistencies. 'Streak' is introduced as the color of a mineral's pulverized powder, which is more consistent and useful for identification. The paragraph also touches on 'hardness,' using the Mohs hardness scale, and provides examples of minerals and their relative hardness.

15:20

📐 Mineral Properties: Cleavage, Specific Gravity, and Crystal Form

The fourth paragraph continues the discussion on mineral properties, starting with 'cleavage,' which is the tendency of minerals to break along flat planes. It provides examples of minerals with different cleavage planes and those without cleavage, which exhibit a 'conchoidal fracture.' 'Specific gravity' is introduced as the ratio of the density of a mineral to that of an equal volume of water, with examples given to illustrate how this property can indicate whether a mineral will float or sink. 'Crystal form' or 'habit' is discussed as the external shape of a crystal, determined by its internal symmetry, and 'tenacity' as the mineral's resistance to breaking or shaping.

20:22

🧪 Special Properties and Identification Techniques

The final paragraph covers additional special properties used to identify minerals, such as 'taste,' 'odor,' and 'magnetism.' It also mentions 'double refraction,' where certain minerals split light into two images, and 'X-ray diffraction,' which uses the pattern of X-rays deflected by a mineral to identify it. 'Chemical tests' are highlighted as a method to observe a mineral's reaction to specific chemicals, like the reaction of carbonate minerals with hydrochloric acid. The paragraph concludes with the correct sequence a mineralogist uses to identify minerals, starting with streak and ending with other properties.

Keywords

💡Minerals

Minerals are the natural, inorganic substances that form the building blocks of rocks. They are essential to the Earth's crust and are characterized by their crystalline structure and specific chemical compositions. In the video, minerals are the central theme, with discussions on their definition, properties, and importance in various everyday applications.

💡Mineraloids

Mineraloids are naturally occurring substances that have some characteristics of minerals but lack crystallinity. The script mentions opal as an example of a mineraloid, highlighting its non-crystalline structure, which differentiates it from true minerals.

💡Mineral Identification

Mineral identification is the process of determining the type of mineral present in a sample by examining its physical and chemical properties. The video script describes various properties such as luster, streak, hardness, and cleavage, which are used to identify minerals, emphasizing the importance of these properties in distinguishing between different minerals.

💡Luster

Luster refers to the way a mineral reflects light, which can be metallic, non-metallic, glassy, or other types. It is a key property in mineral identification. The script provides examples of different types of luster, such as adamantine for a brilliant appearance like diamonds, and earthy for a dull appearance.

💡Streak

Streak is the color of the powder produced when a mineral is rubbed against an unglazed porcelain plate. It is a more reliable property for mineral identification than overall color, which can vary. The script explains that the streak is generally constant and can be distinctive for identifying minerals.

💡Hardness

Hardness is a measure of a mineral's resistance to scratching or abrasion. The script introduces the Mohs hardness scale, which ranges from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond), as a tool for identifying minerals based on their relative hardness.

💡Cleavage

Cleavage is the ability of a mineral to break along flat planes, which is determined by the arrangement of atoms within its crystal structure. The script describes how minerals can have one, two, or three directions of cleavage, and how some minerals, like quartz, exhibit no cleavage and break with a conchoidal fracture.

💡Specific Gravity

Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a mineral to the density of an equal volume of water. It is used to differentiate minerals based on their weight relative to the same volume of water. The script provides examples of specific gravity for minerals like quartz, galena, and gold, illustrating how this property can be used in identification.

💡Crystal Form

Crystal form, or habit, refers to the external shape of an individual crystal or crystal group, which is determined by the symmetry of its internal atomic structure. The script explains that this property is important for identifying minerals and provides examples of different crystal habits.

💡Tenacity

Tenacity is a measure of a mineral's cohesiveness or how it breaks. The script outlines various types of tenacity, including brittleness, malleability, ductility, flexibility, elasticity, and sectility, and provides examples of minerals that exhibit these properties.

💡Special Properties

Special properties are additional characteristics that can be used to identify minerals, such as taste, odor, magnetism, double refraction, and chemical reactions. The script mentions these properties as supplementary tests for mineral identification, giving examples like the salty taste of halite and the reaction of carbonate minerals with hydrochloric acid.

Highlights

Lesson focuses on Module 3 about minerals, covering their definition, importance, and physical properties.

Minerals are the building blocks of rocks, with the Earth's crust composed of various rock types.

Mineralogy is the scientific study of minerals, and a mineralogist is a scientist specializing in this field.

A mineral must be naturally occurring, inorganic, and have a homogeneous solid with a definite chemical composition to be classified as such.

Minerals are identified by their crystalline structure, which plays a crucial role in determining their physical properties.

Mineraloids are naturally occurring, mineral-like substances that lack crystallinity, such as opal.

An activity in the module involves identifying the type of minerals present in everyday objects like pencils and cars.

Minerals are essential in everyday life, with examples including sodium, potassium, and calcium for human survival.

There are over 4,200 different minerals in the world, with only 100 being common, and rare ones like gold and silver.

Physical properties of minerals are used for identification, including luster, color, streak, hardness, cleavage, specific gravity, crystal form, and tenacity.

Luster refers to how light is reflected by a mineral, distinguishing between metallic, non-metallic, glassy, and other types.

Color and streak are used to identify minerals, with streak being the color of the mineral's powder produced when scratched.

Hardness is measured on the Mohs scale, ranging from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest, like diamond).

Cleavage is the tendency of minerals to break along flat planes, with examples given for different cleavage directions.

Specific gravity compares the density of a mineral to that of an equal volume of water, indicating whether it will float or sink.

Crystal form or habit describes the external shape of a crystal or crystal group, important for identification.

Tenacity measures a mineral's cohesiveness or how it breaks, with types including brittleness, malleability, ductility, flexibility, elasticity, and sectility.

Special properties like taste, odor, magnetism, double refraction, X-ray diffraction, and chemical tests aid in mineral identification.

The sequence in identifying minerals includes observing, hardness testing, streak, luster, crystal form, cleavage, specific gravity, and other properties.

Transcripts

[Music]

our lesson is all about module 3 which

is minerals so she empress a module we

are going to discuss about the

definition of minerals

importance of minerals and physical

properties of

minerals

so this module encourages you to be

familiar

with the common rock forming minerals

using

the physical and chemical properties

so there are various activities such as

experiments

which are provided for you to perform to

strengthen your knowledge

and skills regarding the topic okay

let's start

so minerals

is said to be the building blocks of

rocks

so we all know that our earth's crust

is composed of many kinds of rocks

[Music]

and each of which

is an aggregate of one or more minerals

next

the term mineralogy

is used

in the defined

as the study of minerals and

the person who studies minerals

is what we call mineralogies

so don't forget that terms

mineralogy and mineralogies

so next we have the characteristics of

minerals a substance must have the

following characteristics or the flame

characteristics

for it to be considered a mineral and it

must be first one is naturally occurring

so what do we mean by that so when you

say naturally occurring it exists by

nature and without artificial aid

it must be formed by natural processes

meaning

a mineral cannot be man-made

manufactured or created in a laboratory

next one we have inorganic

so when a mineral is chemically

inorganic it means that its chemical

composition is without carbon

or minerals

have never been alive

and are not made up from plants or

animals so i mean or else

[Music]

next

we also have the homogeneous solid

next

definite chemical composition so all

minerals have a specific chemical

composition so it is a compound

having an orderly internal structure and

characteristics chemical composition

crystal form and physical properties

that is why

mineralogists use steps or use different

steps

in identifying physical and chemical

properties of minerals and lastly

the crystalline is structural so crystal

structure is a description

of the ordered arrangement of atoms

ions or molecules in a crystalline

material so crystalline structure

an important role in determining the

physical properties of a

mineral or material such as span

structure

and

optical transparency

so what if a specific substance need

only 3 out of 5

characteristics

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i named

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is a naturally occurring

mineral-like substance that does not

demonstrate crystallinity

the mineraloids possess chemical

composition that the body beyond the

generally accepted venges for specific

minerals

so one best example

is the

opal

so it is considered a mineraloid because

of its

non-crystalline structure so olivine

[Music]

so in this case

considered as mineral it's a mineral

like

substance

because of the absence of crystalline

structure

so in your module

there's an activity and we will identify

developing objects

and in your answer sheets

you will better need what type of

minerals are present in each of the

presented objects in the

table so i'm adding first picture is

pencil

second one is stable salt or salt

third we have

cell phone or cellular phones

fourth is car and number five is road so

so in this activity

so since

identifying an attenuation different

objects all you have to do is to

determine

minerals

[Music]

so now let us proceed to the importance

of minerals so why

minerals are

important

minerals are important because we use

them in everyday life so the neural

parts is used in making glass

graphite is used in making pencil or

lead in pencil fluoride for toothpaste

taco pyrite for coins and wiring

we have rutile and illuminite for white

paint

top and muscadine for makeup

and both silver and platinum are used in

making

[Music]

gilbert it is said to be that humans

cannot survive without minerals actually

we need 16 minerals

for us to survive

so some of which

are sodium potassium calcium magnesium

copper and

phosphorus

how many minerals are there in the world

so there are over 4 200 different

minerals but only 100 are common and

ones that are more rare

includes gold and

silver

now that we have already discussed

the importance of minerals so let us

proceed

to the properties or physical properties

of minerals

so mineralogist identifies minerals

based on its chemical and physical

properties so for today we will talk

about the different properties used in

identifying minerals

so all minerals have physical properties

that can be used to define

describe and identify them

it's at a unique minerals

let's start with the last word

so

blaster refers to the brightness of

light reflected from the minerals

surface it is the manner in which a

mineral reflects light so the main types

of blaster

are metallic and non-metallic or the

glassy or metallic so when you say

glassy it reflects light like a piece of

glass and metallic it reflects light

like a piece of metal

so we have here the non-metallic

minerals

so first we have the

adamantium so in adamantine

it has a brilliant line

structure or appearance

like diamond

next we have earthy

that is dal

next we have silky for having the shin

of itself

grizzy

having an oily appearance

we also have the arizona waxy appearance

vitreous appearance of broken glass and

snake reuse appearance of

pearl

[Music]

blind is the color

so the color of the mineral is often

variable and therefore

it's often an available power mineral

identification

so the color of a specific substance

may be helpful and first

but not clearly understandable because

color may change depending on the

surface

[Music]

the third one is the streak so streak is

the color of pulverized powder of a

mineral

so the color of the mineral may vary but

is generally constant

the color of powder produced when

mineral is grabbed against an unplaced

porcelain tape for other fine grain

heart appreciate the surface

so the color could be different from the

crystals color

and is always distinctive

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fourth one is hardness

[Music]

so it is the scratch ability

of a mineral or a minerals durability

so it uses the moss hardness scale with

a reading system of one to

10 so 1

as very soft

and 10 as the hardest substance known to

man

so the strict plate

used in identifying minerals

has

the seven

or

seven

hardness of

scale

we have here a sample in identifying the

hardness of the following

items

here are the most hardness scales so

first is

or the soft text

mineral is top

two is gypsum

three calcite

four fluoride

five appetite

six ortho clays

quartz for number seven

opus orbital for number eight

burundum for 49 and number 10

as the hardest mineral is for diamond

so we have here the

different items with corresponding

hardness scale combustion fingernails

and gypsum at calcite

second

third is still knife or cuccillion

appetite at fourth place

we have also glass with 5 to 5.5 scale

and last

strict plate number 6.5 and concern

scale of

hardness

so number five is the mineral cleavage

or

cleavage so it is the ability of a

mineral

to break when it's trapped a long plate

so we have here different samples of

minerals with

[Music]

numbers of cleavage so cleavage in one

direction is an example of muscovite

so in feldsparinoman

cleavage into direction

and

in three direction we have halide and

also calcite with

cleavage in to

direction so we also have

um a minerals

with no cleavage example is

white so

so mineral can have one thing of

cleavage

just like the biotite

third

minerals can have multiple planes of

cleavage

just like beyond fluoride

halide

and calcite

[Music]

so the way a substance breaks were not

controlled by by

cleavage so minerals with no cleavage

generally break with regular

fracture

[Music]

so if minerals break with

fractured surface

it is called concordal fracture

and this is seen in glass the igneous

wrap

oxygen and

parts

[Music]

for number six we have specific gravity

so it is the density of a

mineral so the density is equal to the

mass of an object over

the wall

so the specific gravity is the ratio of

the mass of an object to the mass of an

equal volume of

water

so

the density of pure water is equal to

one gram over

ml if the density of the object is less

than one

or lighter than water so it will flop or

substance will float

and if the density of the objects

greater than one or heavier than water

so the substance will sink so we have

here examples like quartz so parts has a

specific gravity of

2.65 grams over

ml

so galena we have 7.5 grams

and for your gold

it is equal to

19.3 grams over

ml

so we have number seven for crystal form

or

habit so crystal form is a solid

crystalline object that is bounded by a

set of flat faces that are related to

one another by

symmetry so when we say habit it is the

characteristic external shape of an

individual crystal or

crystal group

for number eight we have the tenacity so

when you say tenacity it is the measure

of a minerals cohesiveness or afternoon

so we have here different terms

in

tenacity so first one is

the brutalness

when you say brutalness it breaks or

powders easily or the mineral turns into

powder so the best example

is the fire right

again so the mineral pyrite or iron fire

right is also known as fool's gold

in the picture

gold

because it has metallic luster and pale

brass yellow you give it a superficial

resemblance to both so it is much

lighter but harder than

gold 3d it is brittle and will break

rather than bend as bulls does

[Music]

second is multiplicity

so in malleability

the substance can be hammered into thin

plates or sheets so we have here

both

so gold is one of the densest of all

metals so it is also the soft

and most malleable of the element so

just an ounce of gold could be founded

into a thin sheet that could be spread

over an area of 1000 square feet

so another term for tenacity is the

ductility so i want to say ductility so

a mineral can be stretched into wire

or can be drawn into wire so we have

here copper so copper can be formed and

stretched into complex

and intricate surfaces without breaking

to the very small diameter wires which

transmits

power

in cars computers

televisions

lighting and mobile phones only exist

because of the highly ductility and

malleability of copper

we also have flexible and

elastic

so in this minerals are bent and they

bring back to the original position so

the minerals

pins and resumes

its original position or shape when

pressure is released so our best example

for flexible and elastic is the biotite

so biotite is also called as black mica

a silicate mineral in the common mica

group

and last is sectility

it is the ability of minerals

to be is sliced by a

knife or it can be cut or shaved with a

knife so

best example for sectility is the gypsum

the gypsum is a one of example

[Music]

and

it is a soft sulfate mineral composed of

calcium sulfate dihydrate

and it is used in manufacturing wall

board cement and the lights

[Music]

for number nine

so we have here other special properties

so that includes stays

or door

creation

magnetism

double reflection

x-ray fingerprints and chemical tests so

the following are just an additional

test

used in

identifying the physical properties of

minerals so first one is taste

so few minerals have a cross

productivistic taste so just like halite

so hey life tastes like

salt

but

in taste when these applicable

minerals because

minerals

[Music]

so next one is odor few minerals have

productivistic odor so just like clay

minerals

it has early

smell

these are straight parallel lines

on the flat surface of the cleavage

direction so we have here samples or

sample images of the station

next we have

number

or

letter d is magnetism

so some minerals with large amounts

of iron oxide

are attracted to

magnets

for letter e so we have double

refraction

so it is a clear mineral or a clear

mineral place over an image will show

two images by the light being split as

it enters some crystalline

minerals so example is the

calcite

for letter f we have x-ray fingerprints

so when x-rays are directed through

minerals

the x-rays

are deflected out at the specific

pattern or specific

pattern for letter g we have chemical

test

so it says how do minerals react to

specific

chemicals so we have here

carbonate minerals or calcite

will react with hydrochloric acid

and they will face to produce carbon

dioxide or co2

gas

and last we have here the correct

sequence in identifying minerals

used by a mineralogist

so first one is

plaster so in

nothing it is a

plaster

second is hardness

by the use of most hardness scale

number three is follower

number four is trick

[Music]

number five for crystal form or habit

six four cleavage

seven for specific gravity

and last one for number eight is

the other properties so that ends our

discussion for module three

in minerals

[Music]