EARTH and

LIFE SCIENCE
• MINERALS
– Characteristics of Minerals
– Properties of Minerals

• ROCKS
– 3 Types of Rocks
• Igneous Rocks
• Metamorphic Rocks
• Sedimentary Rocks
– Rocks Cycle

• EXOGENIC PROCESSES
– Weathering
• Mechanical
• Chemical
– Factors Affecting Weathering
MINERALS
• Building blocks of rocks
• Are very important because without it,
the other subsystems of the Earth will not
function

CHARACTERISTICS OF MINERALS
1. Naturally occurring
2. Chemically inorganic – not a product of
an organism
3. Homogeneous solid – have definite
volume and rigid in shape
4. Have definite chemical composition
5. Orderly crystalline structure

PROPERTIES OF MINERALS
1. Color
2. Streak - color of mineral in powdered form.
3. Hardness - minerals resistance to
scratching
• Mohs Scale
4. Cleavage - mineral’s resistance to being
broken and fracture
5. Crystalline Structure
6. Diaphaneity – transparency
7. Luster - how light is reflected off a
surface
8. Tenacity – minerals reaction to stress
a. Brittleness
b. Malleability
c. Ductility
d. Flexible but inelastic
e. Flexible and elastic
9. Sectility – ability of a mineral to be sliced
by a knife
C
D
B
E
A
ROCKS
• Is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of one or
more minerals
• Is the core foundation of Earth

3 TYPES OF ROCKS
1. IGNEOUS ROCKS
– Formed from hardening and crystallization of
magma
Classification of Igneous Rocks
a. Extrusive/Volcanic
– Formed outside or on top of the Earth’s crust
– Ex: pumice
b. Intrusive/Plutonic
– Formed inside the Earth
– Texture: coarse and with large mineral grains
– Ex: dolomite, granite
2. METAMORPHIC ROCKS
– In order to form metamorphic rocks, it requires
high heat and high pressure below the surface.
The constant exposure of rocks to these
extreme conditions makes it not to melt, the
rock becomes metamorphous
– forms from pre-existing rocks: either metamorphic,
igneous, sedimentary or other metamorphic rocks
that have been altered by agents of
metamorphism.
METAMORPHISM
– Is the change of mineral’s
composition and the texture of the
rock
– Responsible why metamorphic
rocks may have new mineral
composition and/or texture
Types of Metamorphism
1. Regional - due to changes in pressure
and temperature over large region of the
crust. It may happen when rock is buried deep
below the surface of the earth.
2. Contact - the rock minerals and textures
are changed mainly by heat due to contact
with magma
2 TYPES OF METAMORPHIC ROCKS
1. FOLIATED
– Have layered texture due to its exposure to high
temperature and pressure
– Ex: Gneiss, Phyllite, Slate
2. NONFOLIATED
– Characterized by the absence of layers
– Ex: Marble, Quartzite
3. SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
– Formed on or near the Earth’s surface
– Particles of sand, shells, pebbles, and other fragments
of materials called sediments, accumulate in layers and
over long period of time harden into rocks.

3 TYPES OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

1. CLASTIC
– Formed from accumulation of clasts, broken rocks
and shells
– Ex: Sandstone, Shale
2. CHEMICAL
– Formed when dissolved minerals
precipitate from a solution
– Ex: Halite
3. ORGANIC
– Formed from accumulation of animal
debris
– Ex: coal
ROCK CYCLE
– Useful way to illustrate how the three
main types of rocks are related to one
another and how changes to rocks
happen in a recurring sequence
– Outlines how the three types of rocks
form and breakdown based on the
different application of heat and pressure
overtime
EXOGENIC PROCESSES
WEATHERING
– Is a process wherein rocks are broken
into smaller fragments chemically or
physically
– It is due to rock’s exposure to varying
temperature, pressure, substances
and biological actions
CLASSIFICATION OF WEATHERING
1. MECHANICAL WEATHERING
– Happens when a large rocks breaks into pieces
physically without alteration in its chemical
composition
FACTORS THAT MECHANICAL WEATHERING
HAPPENS
a. Pressure
b. Temperature
c. Frost Wedging
d. Abrasion - breakdown of rocks is caused by
impact and friction
e. Organic Activity - penetration into the crack
f. Human Activity
7. Burrowing Animals

2. CHEMICAL WEATHERING
– Requires chemical reaction between rocks minerals
and other substances in the environment in order to
break rock
CHEMICAL REACTIONS INVOLVED IN CHEMICAL
WEATHERING
a. Dissolution
– Minerals are dissolved in water
b. Hydrolysis
– Rock-forming minerals react with water and form
different kinds of clay minerals
c. Oxidation
– Response of oxygen with mineral
FACTORS AFFECTING WEATHERING
1. Climate – mechanical and chemical weathering is
more effective and rapid in regions with high
temperature
2. Rock types – some rocks have different degree of
resistance to mechanical and chemical
weathering
3. Rock Structure – weathering agents may enter a
rock mass through its joints, faults, folds, and
bedding planes
4. Slope – weathering is faster in steeper slopes
than in less steep slopes
5. Duration of Exposure – rocks that are exposed
to weathering agents for a longer period of
time is more likely to weather easily
 Quiz
1. As a SHS student, how can you
promote sustainable development
in utilizing rocks?
2. How do animals cause weathering?
3. How do human activities affect
weathering?