Review Questions 10A 1-7 (Earth Science)

What properties of rock grains affect a rock's texture?

Grain size, shape, and pattern affect a rock's texture.

What are grains in a rock? How do they assist in classifying rocks?

Grains in a rock are mineral crystals, fragments of eroded rock, or even fossils that give it texture, which is itself an important property of all rocks.

Relate the source of metamorphic rocks to the other two types of rocks.

Metamorphic rocks are changed forms of igneous, sedimentary, and other metamorphic rocks.

State the law of matter that establishes the permanence of matter in the universe.

The law of conservation of matter states that matter can neither be created nor destroyed but can only change form.

List the three kinds of rocks classified according to how they formed. Do any of these rocks still seem to be forming in large amounts today, if at all?

The three classes of rocks are: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.

Suggest one reason why the law in Question 1 might support the idea of recycling rock in the earth.

The working hypothesis that states: since matter cannot be created, the sources of lava must be within the earth from rocks that have been melted there, and those rocks must have come from somewhere else.

Why can't you use mineral hardness tests or streak tests to identify most rocks?

Unless a rock is made of mainly one mineral, mineral identification tests are not reliable because the mixture of minerals gives mixed results.