IGCSE, Edexcel, IB and AP Science Courses | Dr Dabour Hub Academy

Overview

Define a mineral and explain the chemical groups of minerals.
Compare the crystal systems and describe the optical and cohesive properties of minerals.
Classify rocks into igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic and explain how each forms.
Follow the rock cycle, including weathering, and its stages.

🌳 Concept tree

Lesson 2Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering

├── 1 Mineralsimportance and definition

│ ├── Man and minerals

│ ├── Minerals and rocks

│ └── Definition

├── 2 Formation and chemical groups of minerals

│ ├── Formation

│ ├── Elements of the crust (weight percentage)

│ ├── Chemical groups of minerals (from the most common to the least)
│ └── How many minerals?
├── 3 Crystallography crystal structure and crystal systems

│ ├── Crystal structure

│ ├── Elements used to study crystals

│ ├── Systems with three axes

│ └── Systems with four axes

├── 4 Optical properties of minerals

│ ├── Luster

│ ├── Colour

│ ├── Streak

│ └── Play of colour

├── 5 Cohesive properties of minerals

│ ├── Hardness

│ ├── Cleavage

│ ├── Malleability and ductility

│ └── Other properties

├── 6 Rocks and their three types

├── 7 Igneous rocks

│ ├── Formation

│ ├── Bowen's reaction series

│ ├── Classification by mineral composition

│ ├── Classification by place of crystallization and texture

│ └── Shapes of igneous bodies in nature

├── 8 Sedimentary rocks

│ ├── Formation

│ ├── Characteristics

│ ├── Types by mode of formation

│ └── Energy resources in organic sedimentary rocks

├── 9 Metamorphic rocks

│ ├── Formation

│ ├── Massive metamorphic rocks

│ └── Foliated metamorphic rocks

├── 10 Weathering

│ └── Definition and types

└── 11 The rock cycle

├── James Hutton and the cycle

└── Stages

Lesson 2: Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering · 1 / 13

1 Minerals: importance and definition

Man and minerals

Early man coloured cave walls with minerals such as red and yellow ochre (hematite and limonite) and made pottery from clay after discovering fire.
The ancient Egyptians used coloured minerals and stones such as amethyst, malachite, emerald and turquoise for ornament.
Uses today calcite in the cement industry, quartz in glass, magnetite and hematite in steel, and feldspar in ceramics.

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
The crust is made of three types of rock	igneous sedimentary and metamorphic	igneoussedimentarymetamorphic
Most rocks are an aggregate of minerals (granite	quartz feldspar and mica) few are made of one mineral (limestone: calcite CaCO3)	quartzfeldsparmicamade
•	A rock consists of a group of minerals that share some common properties	rockconsistsgroupminerals

A mineral is the basic natural unit from which a rock is formed.
For the mineralogist, a mineral is a solid, inorganic, naturally occurring substance with a definite chemical composition and a distinct crystalline form (a distinct atomic structure).

Lesson 2: Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering · 2 / 13

2 Formation and chemical groups of minerals

Formation

Minerals are formed from the known elements.
Some minerals consist of one element gold, sulphur, copper, graphite and diamond (both carbon).
Most minerals consist of two or more elements bonded in a stable compound, such as quartz (silicon dioxide) and calcite (calcium carbonate).
Although more than a hundred elements are known, eight elements make up more than $98.5 %$ by weight of the crust.

Oxygen $46.6 %$ , silicon $27.7 %$ , aluminium $8.1 %$ , iron $5.0 %$ .
Calcium $3.6 %$ , sodium $2.8 %$ , potassium $2.6 %$ , magnesium $2.1 %$ .
1.5%.

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
Silicates	quartz orthoclase plagioclase mica amphibole pyroxene olivine	quartzorthoclaseplagioclasemica
Carbonates	calcite dolomite	calcitedolomite
Oxides	hematite magnetite	hematitemagnetite
Sulphides	pyrite galena sphalerite	pyritegalenasphalerite
Sulphates	gypsum anhydrite barite	gypsumanhydritebarite
Native elements	gold copper graphite sulphur diamond	goldcoppergraphitesulphur

More than two thousand minerals are known, most in small amounts.
The common minerals and the economic minerals together do not exceed about two hundred.
The rock-forming minerals are only a few tens, in a few groups; the most famous group is the silicates.

Lesson 2: Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering · 3 / 13

3 Crystallography: crystal structure and crystal systems

Crystal structure

The atoms of a mineral are arranged in an orderly way, giving the crystal form.
A crystal is a solid geometric body with flat outer surfaces called crystal faces.
Example halite (rock salt, NaCl) forms when Na+ and Cl− ions combine in a repeated pattern, giving a cubic crystal.
The crystal system controls the shape of the mineral and its physical and chemical properties.

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
Crystal axis	a line through the centre of the crystal; when the crystal rotates around it, faces, edges or angles repeat two or three times. Axes are written $a, b, c$ when their lengths differ and $a_{1}, a_{2}, a_{3}$ when equal.	linethroughcentrerotates
Angles between the axes	written $α, β, γ$ .	written
Plane of symmetry	a plane that divides the crystal into two identical halves	dividescrystalidenticalhalves

Crystal system	Axes	Angles	Symmetry planes
Cubic	$a_{1} = a_{2} = a_{3}$	$α = β = γ = 9 0^{\circ}$	Vertical horizontal and inclined the most symmetric system
Tetragonal	$a_{1} = a_{2} \neq c$	$α = β = γ = 9 0^{\circ}$	Vertical and horizontal
Orthorhombic	$a \neq b \neq c$	$α = β = γ = 9 0^{\circ}$	Vertical and horizontal
Monoclinic	$a \neq b \neq c$	$α = γ \neq β$ (two axes perpendicular, one inclined)	Only one; most minerals belong to this system
Triclinic	$a \neq b \neq c$	$α \neq β \neq γ$	None

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
Hexagonal	three horizontal axes of equal length crossing at equal angles they are perpendicular to a fourth axis of a different length. The fourth (vertical) axis has hexagonal symmetry. It has vertical and horizontal planes of symmetry	threehorizontalaxesequal
Trigonal	three equal horizontal axes crossing at equal angles the fourth axis is perpendicular to their plane and has three-fold symmetry. It has no horizontal plane of symmetry	threeequalhorizontalaxes

Lesson 2: Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering · 4 / 13

4 Optical properties of minerals

Geologists first use apparent physical properties to identify a mineral in the field.
Optical properties depend on the interaction between light falling on the mineral and the light reflected from its surface.

Lusteris the ability of a mineral to reflect the light falling on it.

Metallic lusterthe mineral looks bright like a metal, for example pyrite, galena and gold.

Non-metallic lustervitreous (glassy) in quartz and calcite; pearly in feldspar; dull or earthy in kaolinite.

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
Colour	depends on the wavelengths of the light reflected from the surface	dependswavelengthslightreflected
•	It is the most obvious property but is not reliable because impurities or a change in composition change the colour	mostobviouspropertyreliable
Quartz	rose quartz (manganese impurity) amethyst (iron oxide impurity) milky quartz (tiny gas bubbles) pure quartz transparent and colourless (rock crystal)	rosemanganeseimpurityamethyst
•	Sphalerite (zinc sulphide) is yellowish and turns brown when a little iron replaces zinc	Sphaleritezincsulphideyellowish
Some minerals have a fixed true (native) colour	yellow sulphur and green malachite (hydrated copper carbonate)	yellowsulphurgreenmalachite

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
Streak	is the colour of the powder of a mineral obtained by scratching it on an unglazed porcelain plate	colourpowdermineralobtained
•	It stays constant even when the mineral colour changes with impurities so it is a reliable property	staysconstantevenmineral
Hematite	dark grey or red crystals red streak	darkgreycrystalsstreak
Pyrite	golden colour black streak	goldencolourblackstreak
Quartz	many colours white streak	manycolourswhitestreak

The colour seems to change when the mineral is moved before the eye. It characterises precious ornamental stones.
Diamond splits light into red and violet.
Precious opal shows spangling, a rippling luster that depends on the viewing direction.

Lesson 2: Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering · 5 / 13

5 Cohesive properties of minerals

Hardness

Hardness is the ability of a mineral to resist scratching; a harder mineral scratches a softer one.
It is measured numerically on Mohs’ scale:

Hardness	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Mineral	Talc	Gypsum	Calcite	Fluorite	Apatite	Orthoclase	Quartz	Topaz	Corundum	Diamond

Common tools human fingernail (about 2.5), copper coin (3.5), window glass (5.5) and streak plate (6.5).
In the field or lab, sets of hardness pens made of alloys, or everyday objects of known hardness, are used.

Cleavageis the ability of a mineral to split along flat surfaces that represent weaker planes.

One directionmica splits into thin sheets (flaky cleavage); graphite has good basal cleavage.

Several directionshalite and galena have perfect cubic cleavage; calcite has rhombohedral cleavage.

No cleavagequartz and chert (flint) break with a conchoidal fracture.

The ease of beating a mineral into thin sheets or drawing it into wires
as in gold
silver and copper.

Specific gravitygalena

7.5

and gold

19.3

.

Magnetic propertymagnetite is attracted by a magnet.

Lesson 2: Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering · 6 / 13

6 Rocks and their three types

A rock is a natural solid body made of a number of minerals combined in different ratios, and sometimes of one mineral only.
According to origin, rocks are igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.

Point of comparison	Igneous rocks	Sedimentary rocks	Metamorphic rocks
Structure	Massive, crystalline	Stratified (layered), rarely crystalline	Foliated or massive, crystalline
Porosity	Non-porous	Often porous	Non-porous
Fossils	None	Often contain fossils	May contain deformed fossils
Origin	Cooling of magma or lava	Weathering transport deposition lithification	Heat and pressure acting on existing rocks

Lesson 2: Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering · 7 / 13

7 Igneous rocks

Formation

Igneous rocks are the first rocks to form on the crust; all other rocks come from them, so they are called the "mother rocks" or primary rocks.
They form by cooling and crystallization of molten magma (inside the Earth) or lava (on the surface) as its temperature falls.
Magma is a viscous liquid containing the eight main elements of the silicate minerals as ions, plus gases (mainly water vapour), held under high pressure in the asthenosphere.

Bowen’s experiments show that, as the magma cools, crystallization starts with minerals rich in iron, magnesium and calcium.
Then the magma becomes richer in sodium and potassium, and its silicon content rises in the last stages.
Six groups of minerals crystallize olivine (first), pyroxene, amphibole, feldspar (plagioclase and orthoclase), mica (biotite and muscovite) and quartz (last).

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
Ultrabasic (ultramafic)	silica less than $45 %$ ; the first rocks to crystallize; dark, rich in olivine and pyroxene, with a little calcium-rich plagioclase. Examples: plutonic peridotite and volcanic komatiite.	silicalessfirstrocks
Basic (mafic)	silica $45 %$ to $55 %$ ; crystallize above $110 0^{\circ}$ C; rich in iron, magnesium and calcium minerals, so black. Examples: plutonic gabbro, dolerite (porphyritic texture) and basalt, the most famous and used for road paving.	silicacrystallizeabove1100
Intermediate	silica $55 %$ to $66 %$ ; plagioclase feldspar, amphibole, mica, quartz and some potash feldspar; crystallize at moderate temperature, colours between light and dark. Examples: diorite (coarse), microdiorite (porphyritic) and volcanic andesite, named after the Andes.	silicaplagioclasefeldsparamphibole
Acidic (felsic)	silica more than $68 %$ with sodium and potassium feldspars, mica, quartz (about $25 %$ ) and amphibole; light pink, crystallize below $80 0^{\circ}$ C. Examples: granite (coarse, used in construction and polished), microgranite (porphyritic), rhyolite (fine volcanic), obsidian (glassy) and pumice (frothy, light).	silicasodiumpotassiumfeldspars

Classification by place of crystallization and texture

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Example	Keywords
Plutonic rocks	slow cooling deep in the Earth lets ions gather at crystallization centres giving coarse texture with a few large crystals visible to the eye (granite diorite gabbro peridotite)	—	slowcoolingdeepEarth
Intruded rocks	magma that rises but does not reach the surface cools between the surrounding rocks slow cooling in depth gives large crystals and faster cooling nearer the surface gives small crystals. The texture is porphyritic (large crystals in a mass of small ones) as in dolerite microdiorite and microgranite	—	magmarisesdoesreach
Extruded (volcanic) rocks	lava cools very fast on or near the surface so crystals have no time to form: glassy texture (obsidian) fine texture of microscopic crystals (rhyolite) or frothy texture from gas bubbles (pumice). Basalt andesite and komatiite have fine texture	—	lavacoolsveryfast
Equivalent igneous rocks	have the same chemical and mineral composition but differ in place of formation texture and grain size	granite (plutonic coarse) microgranite (intruded porphyritic) and rhyolite (volcanic microcrystalline)	samechemicalmineralcomposition

Shapes of igneous bodies in nature

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
•	Intruded (plutonic) bodies	Intrudedplutonicbodies
Batholith	the largest intruded bodies extending hundreds of kilometres and several kilometres thick	largestintrudedbodiesextending
Domes	magma rises in a narrow slot and collects instead of spreading a normal dome from viscous magma that lifts the layers above is a laccolith (causing an anticline) while an inverted dome from fluid magma that bends the layers down is a lopolith (causing a syncline)	magmarisesnarrowslot
Dykes	magma intruded so that it cuts across the surrounding rock	magmaintrudedcutsacross
Sills	magma intruded parallel to the bedding planes without cutting them	magmaintrudedparallelbedding
•	Extruded (volcanic) bodies	Extrudedvolcanicbodies
Lava flows	lava solidified on the surface in rope-like or pillow shapes	solidifiedsurfaceropelike
Pyroclastics	(broken volcanic neck material): volcanic breccia with sharp-edged fragments around the volcano and volcanic ash very fine grains carried by wind for long distances	brokenvolcanicneckmaterial
Volcanic bombs	oval massive pieces of lava that solidify near the surface	ovalmassivepieceslava

Lesson 2: Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering · 8 / 13

8 Sedimentary rocks

Formation

Old igneous
sedimentary or metamorphic rocks are broken up by weathering
carried by transporting agents to depositional basins
and deposited in parallel layers one over another.

They cover about three quarters of the crust in thin layers, but make only $5 %$ of the crust by volume.
Most have economic value limestone, phosphate, coal, iron deposits and sandstone.
Muddy rocks are where oil, natural gas and kerogen form; porous rocks such as sandstone and limestone store oil, gas and groundwater.
Their types are few; mudstone, sandstone and limestone make about $90 %$ of them.

Clastic (detrital) rocks→classified by the dominant size of the fragments, lithified by cementing material.

Rock	Particle size	Components	Deposit
Conglomerate (rounded) and breccia (sharp-edged)	More than $2$ mm	Pebbles, boulders	Gravel
Sandstone	$2$ mm to $62$ microns	Quartz	Sand
Mudstone (shale when laminated)	$62$ to $4$ microns (silt); less than $4$ microns (clay)	Silt, clay	Mud

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
Chemical sedimentary rocks	salts dissolved in water precipitate because of evaporation (higher concentration) or chemical reactions	saltsdissolvedwaterprecipitate
Calcareous rocks	limestone and dolomite	limestonedolomite
Silicate rocks	flint	flint
Evaporites	gypsum (hydrated calcium sulphate) anhydrite (calcium sulphate) and rock salt (halite NaCl)	gypsumhydratedcalciumsulphate
Biogenic (biochemical) rocks	from living organisms	livingorganisms
Fossiliferous limestone	marine organisms build shells and skeletons of calcium carbonate taken from seawater the remains accumulate after death	marineorganismsbuildshells
Phosphate rocks	fossilised remains of marine vertebrates that contain phosphate plus phosphate minerals	fossilisedremainsmarinevertebrates

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Example	Keywords
Coal	plants are buried away from oxygen for a long time (	in swamps behind river deltas) the tissues lose volatile parts and carbon becomes concentrated	plantsburiedawayoxygen
Oil and gas	hydrocarbons formed from the remains of marine micro-organisms buried with fine muddy sediments away from air	—	hydrocarbonsformedremainsmarine
•	The source rocks are matured at $2$ to $4$ km depth at $70$ to $10 0^{\circ}$ C; the hydrocarbons then migrate and gather in porous reservoir rocks (sand, sandstone, sometimes limestone).	—	sourcerocksmatureddepth
Oil shale	a muddy rock rich in solid waxy kerogen of mainly plant origin, which turns into oil when heated to about $48 0^{\circ}$ C; it is kept as a reserve.	—	muddyrockrichsolid

Lesson 2: Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering · 9 / 13

9 Metamorphic rocks

Formation

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
Metamorphism	is the change of a rock into a new state when the temperature and pressure increase so that the rock re-equilibrates and recrystallizes	changerockstatetemperature
•	Any rock (igneous sedimentary or metamorphic) may be metamorphosed	rockigneoussedimentarymetamorphic
Signs of metamorphism	new minerals form the texture becomes more crystalline and minerals arrange themselves perpendicular to the direction of the applied pressure	mineralsformtexturebecomes

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
•	Formed by high temperature near a mass of magma (contact metamorphism) the effect weakens with distance from the contact and the crystals grow larger (massive granular texture)	Formedhightemperaturenear
Quartzite	from sandstone (quartz) under very high temperature	sandstoneunderveryhigh
Marble	from limestone the calcite crystals are cemented and compacted so marble is hard and cohesive and is used as an ornamental stone	limestonecalcitecrystalscemented

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
•	Temperature and pressure act together crystals grow as flakes or sheets perpendicular to the pressure forming foliation	Temperaturepressuretogethercrystals
Slate	from shale under high pressure and relatively low temperature (below $20 0^{\circ}$ C); used in construction.	shaleunderhighpressure
Schist	(mica schist): mica crystals lie parallel in thin continuous sheets	micacrystalsparallelthin
Gneiss	from granite under heat and pressure the minerals form parallel discontinuous bands	graniteunderheatpressure

Point of comparison	Massive metamorphic	Foliated metamorphic
Main cause	High temperature (near magma)	Temperature and pressure together
Texture	Granular	Sheets or bands (foliation)
Examples	Quartzite, marble	Slate, schist, gneiss

Lesson 2: Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering · 10 / 13

10 Weathering

Definition and types

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
Weathering	is the breakdown of rocks of the crust at the surface by mechanical and chemical factors it is the first step of the rock cycle and the source of sediments	breakdownrockscrustsurface
Physical (mechanical) weathering	breaks rock into pieces without changing its chemical composition	breaksrockpieceswithout
Frost wedging	water freezes in cracks and joints and the ice expands	waterfreezescracksjoints
Temperature changes	repeated heating and cooling cracks the rock	repeatedheatingcoolingcracks
Biological action	plant roots widen cracks	plantrootswidencracks
Chemical weathering	changes the minerals into new substances	changesmineralssubstances
Oxidation	iron-bearing minerals rust	ironbearingmineralsrust
Carbonation	rain containing dissolved carbon dioxide dissolves limestone forming caves	raincontainingdissolveddioxide
Hydrolysis	feldspar in granite reacts with water and changes into the clay mineral kaolinite	feldspargranitereactswater
•	Quartz resists chemical weathering because it is chemically stable silicon dioxide	Quartzresistschemicalweathering

Lesson 2: Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering · 11 / 13

11 The rock cycle

James Hutton and the cycle

The Scottish scientist James Hutton (1785) was the first to link the three types of rock with the action of the atmosphere and hydrosphere, which change rocks from one type to another in one cycle: the rock cycle.

Stages

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
Weathering	breaking up of the crust rocks by chemical and mechanical factors	breakingcrustrockschemical
Transportation	the fragments are carried by natural agents and by gravity exposing a new surface to weathering	fragmentscarriednaturalagents
Deposition	when the transporting agent loses its energy it drops its load as sediments	transportingagentlosesenergy
Lithification	the sediments are compressed and cemented by a binding material forming sedimentary rocks	sedimentscompressedcementedbinding
Metamorphism	heat or heat and pressure change rocks into new metamorphic rocks that suit the new conditions	heatpressurechangerocks
Melting	when the temperature reaches the melting point the rocks melt and form magma	temperaturereachespointrocks
Cooling and crystallization	magma moves out loses heat and crystallizes into igneous rocks	magmamoveslosesheat
•	Uplift then brings rocks back to the surface and the cycle starts again	Upliftthenbringsrocks

Lesson 2: Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering · 12 / 13

Part 13

📖

🔍 In-Depth Explanations, Deductions & Multi-Book Insights:

DABOUR HUB ACADEMY • EGYPTIAN HIGH SCHOOL (THANAWEYA AMMA)
EXPLANATION Lesson 2: Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering
Course Biology (Senior 3) | Chapter 7 – Geology, Earth Sciences and Ecology | Official Ministerial Syllabus 2026/2027
―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

1. Academic Lesson Overview & Pedagogical Objectives

James Hutton's rock cycle connecting Igneous
Sedimentary
and Metamorphic rocks
mineral crystal systems
physical and chemical weathering
and sedimentary environments.

2. Hierarchy Classification Tree (Cognitive Concept Map)

Below is the hierarchical structural tree organizing the conceptual core of this lesson:

The Dynamic Rock Cycle & Minerals

├── 1. The Rock Cycle (James Hutton)

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
│ ├── Igneous Rocks	Primary 'mother of rocks' from cooling magma (Plutonic granite Volcanic basalt/obsidian)	Primarymothercoolingmagma
│ ├── Sedimentary Rocks	Weathering → Erosion → Transport → Deposition → Lithification (Sandstone Limestone Shale)	WeatheringErosionTransportDeposition
│ └── Metamorphic Rocks	Subjected to intense heat & pressure (Marble from Limestone Quartzite from Sandstone)	Subjectedintenseheatpressure
•	├── 2. Mineralogy & Crystallography: Silicates (most abundant) Carbonates Oxides Sulfides Halides	MineralogyCrystallographySilicatesmost
│ └── Crystal Systems	Isometric/Cubic (highest symmetry) Tetragonal Orthorhombic Hexagonal Monoclinic	IsometricCubichighestsymmetry

└── 3. Weathering Mechanisms

├── Physical WeatheringFrost wedging (ice expansion in joints), thermal fluctuation, biological roots

└── Chemical WeatheringOxidation (iron minerals), Carbonation (Limestone dissolving into caves), Hydrolysis (Feldspar into Kaolinite)

3. The Master Teacher's Blackboard & Exam Rules

Comparison aspect	Main idea	Keywords
•	Extracted high-yield rules golden equations and trap warnings from top Egyptian teachers	Extractedhighyieldrules
• RULE 1	Igneous rocks are the primary origin of all rocks ('Mother of rocks')	Igneousrocksprimaryorigin
• RULE 2	Chemical weathering of Feldspar in Granite under acidic rainwater produces Kaolinite clay	ChemicalweatheringFeldsparGranite
• RULE 3	Mohs Hardness Scale: 1 Talc 2 Gypsum 3 Calcite 4 Fluorite 5 Apatite 6 Orthoclase 7 Quartz 8 Topaz 9 Corundum 10 Diamond	MohsHardnessScaleTalc
• TRAP	Quartz does NOT undergo chemical weathering by carbonation because it is chemically stable silicon dioxide (SiO2)	Quartzdoesundergochemical

Lesson 2: Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering · 13 / 13

Curriculum

Biology & Geology

Chapter 1 - Support and Movement in Living Organisms

Chapter 2 - Hormonal Coordination in Living Organisms

Chapter 3 - Reproduction in Living Organisms

Chapter 4 - Immunity in Living Organisms

Chapter 5 - Molecular Biology - DNA Structure and Function

Chapter 6 - Molecular Biology - RNA, Protein Synthesis and Genetic Engineering

Chapter 7 - Geology, Earth Sciences and Ecology

Lesson 2: Rock Cycle, Minerals, Crystallography and Weathering

🌳 Concept tree

│ ├── Man and minerals

│ ├── Minerals and rocks

│ └── Definition

├── 2 Formation and chemical groups of minerals

│ ├── Formation

│ ├── Elements of the crust (weight percentage)

│ ├── Crystal structure

│ ├── Elements used to study crystals

│ ├── Systems with three axes

│ └── Systems with four axes

├── 4 Optical properties of minerals

│ ├── Luster

│ ├── Colour

│ ├── Streak

│ └── Play of colour

├── 5 Cohesive properties of minerals

│ ├── Hardness

│ ├── Cleavage

│ ├── Malleability and ductility

│ └── Other properties

├── 6 Rocks and their three types

├── 7 Igneous rocks

│ ├── Formation

│ ├── Bowen's reaction series

│ ├── Classification by mineral composition

│ └── Shapes of igneous bodies in nature

├── 8 Sedimentary rocks

│ ├── Formation

│ ├── Characteristics

│ ├── Types by mode of formation

├── 9 Metamorphic rocks

│ ├── Formation

│ ├── Massive metamorphic rocks

│ └── Foliated metamorphic rocks

├── 10 Weathering

│ └── Definition and types

└── 11 The rock cycle

├── James Hutton and the cycle

└── Stages

Man and minerals

Formation

Crystal structure

Hardness

Formation

Classification by place of crystallization and texture

Shapes of igneous bodies in nature

Formation

Formation

Definition and types

James Hutton and the cycle

Stages

🔍 In-Depth Explanations, Deductions & Multi-Book Insights:

1. Academic Lesson Overview & Pedagogical Objectives

2. Hierarchy Classification Tree (Cognitive Concept Map)

The Dynamic Rock Cycle & Minerals

├── 1. The Rock Cycle (James Hutton)

3. The Master Teacher's Blackboard & Exam Rules

Well done! You finished this lesson