Geology Kitchen #3 - Clastic Sedimentary Rocks

Episode 3 begins to examine the world of sedimentary rocks by looking at how clastic sedimentary rocks form. Various food stuffs of different grain sizes are used to demonstrate the relationship between rock name and grain size. Composite rocks are demonstrated from cereal and granola bars using grains of mixed sizes to show how variability in clastic rocks occurs in nature. A brief description of the sedimentary rock cycle from weathering and erosion, to sediment transport, to deposition in a basement and final burial and compaction are discussed.

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Geology Kitchen #2 - Identifying Minerals

Episode 2 expands on the mineral concept by discussing the characteristics of minerals used in mineral identification. Minerals are categorized by the use of descriptive criteria; 

1) Color
2) Hardness
3) Luster
4) Shape/Cleavage
5) Density 

Fruit are again used to describe these elementary criteria and relate to the discussion on how minerals are categorized.

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Geology Kitchen #1 - What is a Mineral?

Episode 1 introduces the concept of a mineral. Minerals are defined by five criteria;

1) They must be solid substances

2) they must be naturally-occurring

3) they must have a definable chemical composition
4) they must have an orderly crystalline structure

5) they must be inorganic by nature. 

The video introduces mineral properties using common fruit and vegetables as analogies for these five descriptive criteria. The video also demonstrates the orderly crystalline structure of halite (NaCl) using a model made of food (marshmallows and grapes). Comparisons between common substances such as ice and glass versus the mineral definition are made to illustrate the specific nature of the mineral definition. 

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