As everyone says and the fact that earth is made of land, water, rocks, soils, minerals, etc; Here the rocks and minerals are not the same.
What are rocks?
Rocks are organic and inorganic solid substances that occur naturally without any chemical composition. This is in solid form occurs in the earth’s crust. There are 3 kinds that are as follows
Kinds of rocks :
It is formed through the cooling and solidification of lava or magma.
Sedimentary is formed from the formed rocks or organic material.
Metamorphic is formed from the original rock with heat or pressure.
All these are formed with changes in the earth like melting, compacting, eroding, cooling. Minerals are organized to form rocks and they don’t have any internal atomics structure.
What are minerals?
Minerals are also inorganic solid substances but with a chemical composition. It has a definite crystalline structure and outlined shape. In nature, there are many minerals. Some are rare and some are very popular. They are classified into 3.
Classified minerals are as follows:
- Metallic
- Non metallic
- Energy mineral
Many elements are organized to form compounds that are known as minerals. They have an atomic structure.
Let’s dive into the differences
Differences between Rocks and Minerals:
| Rocks are organic and inorganic solid substances that occur naturally without any chemical composition. | Minerals are also inorganic solid substances that have a chemical composition, crystalline structure, and have a shape. |
| This doesn't have any internal atomic structure. | It has an internal atomic structure. |
| Rocks are an aggregate of minerals. | Minerals are independent and stand-alone. |
| Minerals are organized to form rocks. | Elements are organized to form compounds that are known as minerals. |
| Classification of rocks: Igneous Sedimentary Metamorphic | Classification of minerals: Metallic Non-metallic Energy mineral |
| Example; Granite, basalt, limestone, pebbles. | Example: Quartz, calcite, feldspar, gold, petroleum. |
Bottom line:
As a result of the preceding discussion, Although there are numerous differences between rocks and minerals, there are only a few similarities. The Earth’s crust contains both rocks and minerals. Another point of similarity between the two is that both rocks and minerals have commercial value. Rocks are important because of the minerals they contain, and minerals are widely used in all aspects of the manufacturing industry.
Finally, both rocks and minerals are used as raw materials in the manufacturing of everyday products in the industrial process.
Difference between Physical change and Chemical change
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Sedimentary rocks are recycled rocks formed by the deposition of fragments of material (sediment) that have been eroded and weathered from other parent rocks. They often consist of sand, pebbles, minerals and mud that’s been removed from the land by erosion, carried by rivers or blown by the wind and eventually deposited.
Sediments are usually deposited in seas and lakes but they can also accumulate in desert environments. They are often deposited in layers known as strata. As the layers accumulate, one on top of another, they become buried underneath younger sediments and they become compressed into solid rock.
Some sedimentary rocks are made from deposits on the sea floor that consist almost entirely of the shell fragments of dead sea creatures. The shells are made largely of calcium carbonate and when they are compressed they form a rock called limestone.
In other cases, the accumulation of large amounts of dead plant material may, over millions of years, turn into coal, which is another type of sedimentary rock.
A mineral is a solid formation that occurs naturally in the earth while a rock is a solid combination of more than one mineral formations which is also occurring naturally.
A mineral has a unique chemical composition and is necessarily defined by its crystalline structure and shape. On the other hand, since a rock can be composed of several minerals it is classified according to the process of its formation. A rock can also contain organic remains and mineraloids apart from regular mineral formations. There are some rocks that may include just one mineral formation though.
The commercial value of minerals is immense and rocks are mined to extract these minerals. Such rocks are known as ores and the residue of the rock after the mineral has been extracted is called tailing.
The classification of rocks also depends on their mineral and chemical composition, texture and the process of formation. Rocks are therefore classified as igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. A rock cycle defines how one rock form changes to another. For example, a sedimentary rock form is limestone that is composed only of the mineral calcite.
Crystal Structure and Crystal System
Main rocks on earth contain minerals like magnetite, quartz, feldspar, mica, epidote etc. But more than half of the mineral types classified in geological studies are considered rare. Igneous rocks are formed when molten lava solidifies after a volcanic eruption and is known to be rich in the mineral granite.
Sedimentary rocks are formed when deposition of organic matter, chemical precipitates etc takes place. These usually contain minerals like shale, siltstone, sandstone, etc. The metamorphic rocks are formed by the transformation of one rock type to another. No such process is applicable to minerals.
Rocks have great cultural, commercial and social value only because of the mineral present in them. Rocks are also used to establish dates of various civilizations that have existed on earth.
How to classify Igneous rocks into (Ultramafic, Mafic, Intermediate and Felsic)?
Although there may be many differences between rocks and minerals, there are only a few similarities between them. Rocks as well as minerals are found in the Earth's crust (the outer layer of the Earth). Another similarity between the two is that rocks as well as minerals both have commercial value. Rocks are important for the minerals they contain while minerals are used widely in all areas of the manufacturing industry. Finally, both rocks and minerals serve as raw materials in the industrial process for manufacturing products used for everyday purposes.
There are several uses of rocks and minerals in the world today. Aluminum is used for making cans, containers and for appliances used in the home. Chromite is used for making chromed parts of automobiles. Ores of copper are used in making coins, jewelery, cooking utensils and wiring equipment used for electrical devices, televisions, computers, automobiles, etc. Halite, more commonly known as salt, is used in cooking and food preservation. It is also used as a water softener and for de-icing on highways. Limestone is used as a component of cement which is used in the construction of homes, sidewalks, bridges and buildings. Fluorite find its uses in the production of hydrofluoric acid, but its main use is in toothpastes to help protect your teeth. Lead is used in making batteries and as a protective shield in the doctor's office from X-rays. Rocks and minerals are fascinating topics of study for both scientists and students. While their own characteristics define them, they are sort of like distant cousins - having some similarities but keeping within their own immediate families.