Minerals, Rocks,

and Soil
A Science AZ Earth Series
Word Count: 1,748

Minerals,
Rocks,
and Soil

Written by Rachel Kamb

Visit www.sciencea-z.com

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Minerals, Rocks,
and Soil

Key elements Used in This Book

The Big Idea: Earth is made up of various living and nonliving materials.
Elements form minerals, and minerals form rocks. Each mineral and rock
can be classified in many ways. Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
rocks form differently and can transform through the rock cycle. Through
weathering and erosion, rocks change, break, and move. Minerals mix
with organic material, forming the soil on which plants and animals rely.
People use nonliving materials as resources by mining, drilling, and
refining them. While seemingly abundant, Earths resources are limited
and must be preserved for future generations.
Key words: bedrock, crystal, deposit, drill, element, energy resources, erosion,
fossil, humus, igneous rock, inorganic, lava, magma, matter, metal, metamorphic
rock, mine, mineral, ore, organic, process, raw material, refine, resources, rock,
rock cycle, sedimentary rock, soil, subsoil, topsoil, weathering
Key comprehension skill: Main idea and details
Other suitable comprehension skills: Compare and contrast; classify information;
cause and effect; identify facts; elements of a genre; interpret graphs, charts,
and diagrams; using a glossary and boldfaced terms; using a table of contents
and headings
Key reading strategy: Connect to prior knowledge
Other suitable reading strategies: Ask and answer questions; summarize; visualize;
retell
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Fabrizio Troiani; front cover (bl): Igor Baz/123RF; front cover (bc): iStockphoto.com/Jacob VanHouten;
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iStockphoto.com/Anandha Krishnan; page 9: DK Images; 10 (t): O. Diez /Arco Images GmbH/PhotoLibrary;
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Written by Rachel Kamb

www.sciencea-z.com

Illustration Credits: Pages 5 (bottom), 20 (bottom): Casey Jones/ Learning AZ

Minerals, Rocks, and Soil

Learning AZ
Written by Rachel Kamb
All rights reserved.
www.sciencea-z.com

Introduction

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................... 4
Elements and Minerals....................................... 5
Rocks..................................................................... 7
Rock Groups........................................................ 9
Igneous Rocks.................................................... 9
Sedimentary Rocks........................................... 11
Metamorphic Rocks......................................... 13

Earth provides everything you need to stay

alive. It has water for drinking and air for
breathing. It is home to plants and animals,
which you need for so many reasons. But
dont forget one more important thing Earth
provides: land!
The land is where you walk and where you
play. Your home is built on land. But what
is land made of? Why is it important? In
this book, you will learn about nonliving
Earth materials that make up the land.

The Rock Cycle.................................................. 14

Weathering and Erosion................................... 15
What Is Soil?...................................................... 17
Kinds of Soil....................................................... 18
Layers of Soil...................................................... 19
Using Earths Resources................................... 21
Conclusion......................................................... 22
Glossary.............................................................. 23
Index................................................................... 24
3

This home and the land it sits on are

made of nonliving Earth materials.

Nonliving Earth
materials differ
a lot from one
place to another.
They come in
many colors,
shapes, and sizes,
and can change
quite a bit. They
also help you in
ways you may
not realize.

Elements and Minerals

elements minerals rocks

To start thinking about what Earth is made

of, lets start small . . . really small. Elements
are what make up all matter, both living and
nonliving. Everything on Earth
is made from just over one
hundred different elements.
Carbon, helium, and zinc
are a few of these elements.

A mineral is a natural
substance made of elements.
Some minerals, including
Silver is a mineral
many kinds of metal, consist made of one element.
of just one kind of element. For example, silver
is only made of silver, and iron is only made
of iron. Many other minerals consist of two
or more elements. For example, quartz is
made of the elements silicon and oxygen.
Earth has nearly 4,000 different minerals.
Each one has its own mixture of elements.

elements minerals rocks

Periodic table of
the elements

All minerals are solid, and they form in a

pattern of crystals. Minerals have crystals
because their atoms are arranged in tidy
patterns. Different
patterns make
different crystal
shapes. Minerals
are also inorganic.
This means they
are not living,
and they were
Quartz is made of two elements.
never alive.

Sr
Cs
Cesium

Ds

Rg

Cn

Fl

Lv

Darmstadtium

Roentgenium

Copernicium

Flerovium

Livermorium

This table lists all the known elements on Earth. Each box
has a symbol for the element and more information about it.

Elements are not the smallest parts

of matter. The tiniest bits of each
element are called atoms.

Can you see the pattern made

by the minerals?

Rocks
What happens when minerals combine?
A rock is a hard, solid material found in
nature. Most rocks are made of different
minerals, just as a salad is made of different
vegetables. If you pick up a rock, you might
see several colors and patterns. These are
usually bits and pieces of different minerals.
The mix of minerals in one kind of rock helps
you tell it apart from other kinds of rocks.

You can describe a rock in many ways. You

can also compare one rock with another. Read
the chart to learn some ways to describe and
compare rocks.
How to Describe and Compare Rocks
Mineral
composition

Size

elements minerals rocks

Rocks can be flat, round, square,

or almost any other shape.

Color

Rocks come in every color you can

imagine. Many rocks have more than
one color, depending on the colors
of their minerals.
Some rocks feel very rough, while others
are smooth. They can have tiny grains;
large, smooth chunks; or long, pointed
crystals. Some rocks are full of airholes.

Hardness

The Mohs Scale of Hardness compares

how hard each mineral is within a
rock. Talc is rated a 1 (very soft), and
diamonds are rated a 10 (very hard).

Patterns

Rocks may have streaks, waves, or

straight lines. They may have dots
everywhere or be built layer upon layer.
Some rocks do not have a clear pattern.

Location

An important way to describe a rock is

by where in nature it is found. A beach
may have different rocks than a forest,
desert, or volcano.

Each rock is made up of a

certain mixture of minerals.

Rocks can be huge boulders or small

pebbles. They can be as big as a
mountain or as tiny as a speck of dust.

Shape

Texture

Rocks have a special mixture of one

or more minerals.

Rock Groups
When you think of rock groups, you might
imagine loud music. But Earth has its own
kinds of rock groups. Every rock belongs in
one of three groups, based on how it formed.
Lets take a closer look at each rock group
and how it forms.
Igneous Rocks
Boom! A volcano blasts hot, liquid rock, called
magma, from beneath Earths crust. The magma,
which is called lava above the ground, cools on
the surface, making igneous rocks (IG-nee-us).
Other igneous rocks form as magma cools
underground.
VOLCANO

lava

To remember how
igneous rocks
form, think
of the word
ignite, which
means to
start a fire.
Igneous rocks start
off very hot and
then cool down.

igneous rocks

Igneous rocks can be

very different from
one another. The
size of the crystals
in an igneous rock
Pumice is full of tiny airholes. Its
so light that it can float in water!
is determined by
how fast the magma cools and turns solid.
If lava cools quickly on the surface, it does
not have time to grow large crystals. For
example, pumice is a rock that cooled
quickly. It is made of tiny glass crystals.
When magma cools slowly underground,
the extra time allows larger crystals to form.
Granite, which cools slowly, is hard and
very solid. It has large crystals made of
several minerals.
Obsidian forms
when magma
cools very
quickly. It looks
like black glass.

magma
Granite is used for kitchen counters
and in the walls of some buildings.

10

Sedimentary Rocks
Some rocks are made from tiny bits of minerals
called sediment. Because sediment is so small,
water and wind can easily move it and deposit
it in different locations. Sediments can build
up, layer upon layer. Older sediments at the
bottom become compacted as newer layers
build up above
them. Over
a long
period of
time, all
that weight
and pressure
Breccia is a type of
create sedimentary rocks.
sedimentary rock.
Sedimentary rocks are often the easiest rocks
to break apart. They are made up of bits of
rock that have been pressed together, not
melted together like
igneous rocks. Some
sedimentary rocks,
such as sandstone,
can crumble when
you walk on them.
When you look at a side view
But others are strong.
of sedimentary rock layers, you

Fossils may be found in

sedimentary rocks. Millions
of years ago, dead plants and
animals settled at the bottom
of lakes, rivers, and seas.
fossilized leaf
Over time, layers of sediment
buried the plants and animals, forming
sedimentary rocks. The plants and animals,
or imprints of them, sometimes hardened
and remained in the rock. These are fossils.

fossilized dinosaur footprint

Coal is a sedimentary rock mostly

made of the element carbon, which
is found in living material. Over
millions of years, pressure turned
the living material into rock.

are seeing a slice of history.

11

Look for fossils where

ancient oceans, lakes,
or rivers used to be.
A fossil can help you
learn about what
once lived in an area.
You can also compare
those plants and
animals with the ones
that live there today.

12

The Rock Cycle

igneous
rock

A sedimentary rock can be very weak. But after

it has been heated and placed under additional
pressure, it can become a metamorphic rock,
such as marble. Marble is very strong, so it is
often used in buildings
and statues.

ath
we

ering and erosion

m e lt i n g

an
dp

sure
res

14

ress
ure

at

g
ltin
me

metamorphic rock

on
si

ea
ta
nd
p

he

Phyllite (left) and gneiss (right) are

two examples of metamorphic rocks.

13

sedimentary
rock

the rock cycle

nd
er
o

Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic rocks (met-uh-MOR-fick) form
when a rock changes due to heat and pressure.
Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks
can all end up deep below Earths surface.
There, Earths heat and the pressure caused
by the heavy rocks above them makes them
change more.

Plants and animals change during their life

cycle. Water changes as it moves through the
water cycle. Rocks change, too. In fact, any of
the three kinds of rocks can change into one
of the other kinds. The rock cycle describes
the process that rocks go through as they
change from one kind to another. Study the
diagram to learn how any kind of rock can
change into any other.

weatherin
ga

The word metamorphic comes from the Greek

word metamorphosis, which means to change.
How are a butterfly and a metamorphic rock alike?

Weathering and Erosion

Rocks can also change without becoming a new
kind of rock. They can change shape or size.
They can also move from one place to another.
Weathering makes rocks change. Sometimes
they change shape or size. Wind and water
make rocks bang into each
other. They might become
smooth and round or break
into pieces. Water can seep
into cracks in a rock and
freeze, breaking the rock.
A plants roots might grow
A tree is splitting a rock.
into a crack in a rock. As
This is an example of
mechanical weathering.
the crack expands, pieces
of the rock may break off.
The chemicals in rocks can
change, too. Minerals may
fall apart or dissolve when
they mix with water or other
chemicals. Acid from plants
can change rocks, too. When
a rocks chemicals change,
it may get weak or crumble.

Acid rain has changed

the minerals in this
gravestone. This is an
example of chemical
weathering.

15

An arch caused by weathering

A rockslide caused by erosion

Weathering changes rocks, but erosion moves

them to a new place. Forces such as wind and
water carry the loose pieces of rock and deposit
them somewhere else. As some rocks move,
they create more erosion by making other rocks
move. Large boulders can break into smaller
rocks, stones, pebbles, sand, or even dust.
Other forces cause erosion, too. Moving ice in
a glacier slowly carries loose rocks downhill.
Earthquakes or heavy rain can cause landslides,
in which loose rocks tumble due to gravity.
People can cause erosion by using machines
to cut through rock and haul it away. Even
wildfires can cause erosion by removing the
vegetation that holds rocks in place.
16

Kinds of Soil

What Is Soil?
Earth isnt just covered with broken rocks and
minerals. The land also has a lot of organic
matter. This material is living or once was
alive. It includes rotting plants, dead animals,
and animal waste. The mixture of rocks,
minerals, and organic matter is called soil.
ro

soil

g an
or

ic mat

te

and mine
r

als

s
ck

Soil also contains air between all the bits

of solid material. Most soils contain some
amount of water, too.
The organic matter in soil is called humus
(HYOO-muss). It is full of nutrients. Plants
rely on the air, water,
and nutrients in soil
to grow and to live.
Many animals eat
those plants. So you
have soil to thank
for the foods you eat.

There are thousands of

kinds of soil around the
world. Each one is made
up of a unique combination
of minerals, bits of rock,
and organic material.
It can take hundreds
or thousands of years
for each kind of soil to
form. Because of all the
possible mixtures, soil
comes in many colors
and textures. Some soils
are dense, or packed
together tightly. Others
are packed more loosely.

Soil scientists have

identified over
10,000 different
kinds of soil in
Europe alone.

17

18

Layers of Soil
Just like rocks, soil changes and moves.
Weathering and erosion affect soil most
on the surface. As a result, soil often forms
in different layers.
The thin layer found on most of Earths land
is called topsoil. It is often soft and rich in
organic material. It usually contains more
air and water than the deeper layers.
The middle layer is called subsoil. It tends to
be drier and harder than topsoil and contains
more rocks.
Cutaway View
Bedrock is usually
far below the
surface. Here,
weathering and
erosion have not
changed the rock
much. Less water
and air can reach
it, so bedrock is
often very hard
and dry.

of Soil Layers

One good way to describe soil is by its texture.

Scientists also measure
how compact, or
pressed together, the
soil is. They describe
sand
silt
the soils color and
temperature, too. They
may even find out
how much water, air,
and humus it contains. clay
loam
Sand feels gritty, while silt is made of smaller
bits and feels powdery like flour. Clay is made
of even smaller bits mixed with water, so it
feels sticky. Loam is a mixture of sand, silt,
clay, and organic matter.
Science

Science
In Your In the last 200 years, the United States
World has lost from 2570 percent of its
topsoil due to farming, logging, and grazing.
With fewer plants,
topSoil Loss per year
soils have been
in the United States
eroded by wind
and water and
have washed
down rivers
and streams.

topsoil

subsoil

bedrock

n Low n Moderate n High n Very High

19

20

Using Earths Resources

Conclusion

We use gravel for roads, tiles for floors, and oil

for energy. We use bricks for buildings, glass
for windows, and metal for cars. When we
use Earths materials, we call them resources.
Some resources are deep below Earths surface.
To reach them, people mine, dig, drill, or blast
into the land.
Most of Earths resources cannot be used in
their natural form. These raw materials have
to be processed or refined. For example, most
metals are found mixed with other minerals
in a rocky substance called ore. Machines
process the ore to sort the metals, such as
copper and silver. They also remove unwanted
minerals. Coal and oil are important energy
resources. Factories refine them before they
can power our cars and heat our homes.

Mining for metals

Elements make up minerals, and minerals

make up rocks. Rocks form in different
ways. They can be igneous, sedimentary,
or metamorphic. Over time, each kind of
rock can change into one of the other kinds.
Weathering and erosion make rocks change
and move. As rocks break down, they can
mix with organic matter to form soil. Earth
has countless kinds of rocks and soils. Plants
and animals rely on healthy soil.
People use Earths resources to make and
build things. Some resources are in limited
supply, so it is important that we use Earths
materials wisely.

Drilling for oil

21

22

Glossary
crystals minerals that form in regular,
tight patterns (p. 6)
deposit to set down one or more layers
of material in a new place,
as water or wind can do to
sediment (p. 11)
elements pure substances; the building
blocks of everything on Earth
(p. 5)
erosion the process of transporting and
wearing away rocks or soil as
loose particles are moved by
water, wind, ice, or gravity (p. 16)
fossils the remains of plants or animals
that turned to stone over a long
period of time (p. 12)
igneous
rocks formed by the cooling and
rocks hardening of hot magma or lava
(p. 9)
metal a material, usually hard and
shiny, that allows electricity and
heat to move through it (p. 6)
metamorphic rocks formed when any type
rocks of rock goes through changes
caused by extreme heat and
pressure (p. 13)

23

mineral a solid, natural material that

does not come from a living
thing (p. 6)
resources supplies of things that are
valuable or very useful to
people (p. 21)
rock a hard, solid material that
is made of minerals and is
found in nature (p. 7)
rock cycle the series of changes that rock
undergoes as it shifts between
different types (p. 14)
sedimentary
rocks

rocks formed when sediment is

pressed together over time (p. 11)

soil the top layer of the ground, in

which plants grow; dirt (p. 17)
weathering the process of wearing away
or otherwise changing Earths
surface, caused by natural
forces (p. 15)

Index
atoms, 5, 6
coal, 12, 21
humus, 17, 20
lava,9
magma, 9, 10
ore,21

24

Periodic Table of
the Elements, 5
sediment, 11, 12
soil layers, 19
weathering, mechanical
vs. chemical, 15