Rocks and Mineral Worksheets

Related ELA Standard: RI.6-8.1 & RST.6-8.1

Core Standard
Answer Keys Here

Rocks are solid natural masses of minerals. The top layer of the Earth's surface is made up of many different types of rocks. All rocks contain at least a single mineral. Rocks are just tons of grains of minerals that are stuck together. These worksheets will explore the nature of rocks and minerals.

Rocks and Minerals Worksheets To Print:

Erosion of Rocks - Even though we might think that a large chunk of rock, especially like a rocky mountain, is a permanent part of the landscape, in reality it is constantly changing just like everything else on earth. Running water can do some major damage. It's amazing when you see it first hand.
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Gemstones - People always wondering with some gems are worth so much. Me too! Gemstone is another name for jewels or precious gems like diamonds, emeralds and rubies. Humans have prized gemstones for their unique colors and clarity for thousands of years.
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Igneous Rock - Liquid water that is cooled enough will turn to solid ice. Igneous rock forms in a similar manner from hot molten magma that exists within the earth's mantle.
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Metamorphic Rock - Of the three kinds of rock on earth, namely igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic, the smallest category is metamorphic. The deeper the igneous and sedimentary rock is the earth's crust, the higher the temperature and pressure become.
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Mining - Mining is the process of extracting minerals from the earth's surface where they once formed billions of years ago. Mining is the process of extracting minerals from the earth's surface where they once formed billions of years ago.
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What are Minerals? - The element that occurs in the largest amount in the earth's crust is oxygen which accounts for nearly half the weight of the crust. Minerals are the basic building blocks of the earth and the other planets in our solar system.
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Minerals and Nutrition - Vitamins and minerals are substances in the food we eat that the human body needs in order to function properly. People who do not get enough of a particular vitamin or mineral are said to have a vitamin or mineral deficiency and they become ill with the symptoms associated with this deficiency.
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Sedimentary Rock - Sediment is any material that has eroded from existing rocks, is transported by water, wind, or ice, and deposited elsewhere. Limestone is a type of sedimentary rock that is made of the mineral calcite.
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Types of Rocks - All rocks are composed of minerals which are natural inorganic (non-living) substances. Rocks are formed from the earth's minerals by the intense pressures within the earth.
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Weathering of Rocks - Most of the rock found on the earth's surface initially formed underground, deep within the earth. Over thousands of years while the earth evolved to its present state, rocks were thrust upward to the surface where they were exposed to the weather.
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What Is the Difference Between Rocks and Minerals?


Here are the characteristics and traits of minerals and rocks that differentiate them from each other.


Minerals

Minerals are the chemical substances that are solid and inorganic. They exist naturally. Minerals are known to be homogenous which means that they have a very definite and defined chemical structure. Variations in the chemical structure are very narrow. There are numerous types of minerals found on Earth, over five thousand to be more specific. Minerals also have some nutritional value. They are known to help in bone formation and muscle contractions. Minerals can be distinguished from each other with the help of analyzing their physical properties, chemical compositions, and crystal structure. To study them in a better way, minerals have been divided into some major groups. These groups are mostly based on their chemical structure. Some of these groups are sulfides, oxides, carbonates, halides, nitrates, tungstates, phosphates, and chromates. The study of minerals is known as mineralogy.


Rocks

Rocks are also naturally occurring substances. However, they are not homogenous which means that they do not have a specific chemical composition. A rock can be a mixture of many mineral or mineraloid substances. They have organic matter such as fossils. There are many different ways to classify rocks. They are differentiated by their chemical structure, mineral composition, way of formation, or texture. There are three groups of rocks; sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. An interesting fact about rocks is that they can be transformed into another type over time. This is because the chemical and physical characteristics of the rocks can change due to the environment. Unlike minerals, rocks do not have any nutritional benefits neither do they have a specific shape. The study of rocks is called petrology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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