Minerals contain specific, well known chemical elements in certain ratios that can only vary within narrow limits. This is what we mean by a mineral’s definite chemical composition. The structure of these minerals are all well known as well as their atom to atom connectivity.

Using Characteristics of Minerals to Identify Them. Most minerals can be characterized and classified by their unique physical properties: hardness, luster, color, streak, specific gravity, cleavage, fracture, and tenacity.

“Naturally occurring, inorganic substance” factor is not a characteristic of a mineral. Explanation: A mineral is overall a solid chemical substance that naturally occurs in pure form.

Answer. Answer: Mineral like copper is used in electrical equipments as it is good electrical conductor. Clay is used to make cement etc which helps in constructing roads.

Science – Properties Used to Identify Minerals

• Color.
• Luster.
• Streak.
• Cleavage / Fracture.
• Hardness.
• Density.
• Special Properties (fluorescence, chemical RXN, magnetism & taste)

luster, weight, streak – Brainly.com.

Metamorphic rocks started out as some other type of rock, but have been substantially changed from their original igneous, sedimentary, or earlier metamorphic form. Metamorphic rocks form when rocks are subjected to high heat, high pressure, hot mineral-rich fluids or, more commonly, some combination of these factors.

Increased heat and pressure will change the sedimentary rock into metamorphic rock. A sedimentary rock along a plate boundary is forced below another plate during subduction.

The layers are squeezed together and any water mixed in with the sediments is forced out. This process is called compaction. At the same time the particles of sediment begin to stick to each other – they are cemented together by clay, or by minerals like silica or calcite.

The three processes that change one rock to another are crystallization, metamorphism, and erosion and sedimentation. Any rock can transform into any other rock by passing through one or more of these processes. This creates the rock cycle.

A mineral is an inorganic, crystalline solid. A mineral is formed through natural processes and has a definite chemical composition. Minerals can be identified by their characteristic physical properties such as crystalline structure, hardness, streak, and cleavage.

Most fossils are found in sedimentary rock, but some have been found in metamorphic rock. Using what you know about how rocks form, draw a conclusion about why you might find fossils in both types of rock.

sedimentary rocks

There are four main types of fossils, all formed in a different way, which are conducive to preserving different types of organisms. These are mold fossils, cast fossils, trace fossils and true form fossils.

Fantastic fossils

• Ammonites. Ammonites are related to the squids and octopuses you can see today, but they’re all extinct – they died out at the same time as dinosaurs.
• Trilobites.
• Bivalves.
• Brachiopods.
• Sponges.
• Sea urchins.
• Shark teeth.
• Bones of dinosaurs and other reptiles.

By far the most common fossil, based on the number of times it occurs in collections, is the snail Turritella, which is not only found almost everywhere since the Cretaceous, but is often quite abundant within each collection.

12 Famous Fossil Discoveries

• Megalosaurus (1676) Ghedoghedo/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 3.0.
• Mosasaurus (1764) Ghedoghedo/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 3.0.
• Iguanodon (1820) Ronny Mg/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 1.0.
• Hadrosaurus (1858) andytang20/Flickr/CC BY 2.0.
• Archaeopteryx (1860-1862)
• Diplodocus (1877)
• Coelophysis (1947)
• Maiasaura (1975)

Trace fossils are classified in various ways for different purposes. Traces can be classified taxonomically (by morphology), ethologically (by behavior), and toponomically, that is, according to their relationship to the surrounding sedimentary layers.