Total Internal Reflection
The most common type of mirage is an illusion that light from faraway objects is reflected by a pool of water that is not really there. Mirages are generally observed in deserts, when there is a hot layer of air near the ground. Given that the refractive index of air is lower for air at higher temperatures, explain how mirages can be formed.
Minerals ❏ Minerals are the building blocks of rocks (Ex: A Lego Piece) ❏ A rock is a lithified assemblage of grains of one or more minerals ❏ Sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic ❏ Some non- mineral materials on rocks are plants material ❏ Coal ❏ A mineral is naturally occuring, inorganic, and a solid ❏ Minerals have an orderly arrangement of atoms (gives rise to crystal form) ❏ An atom is made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons ❏ A compound is a mixture of two elements ❏ Salt, NaCl ❏ The arrangement of the three subatomic particles give each element its unique characteristics. ❏ Most minerals are compounds ❏ Crystal form is the outward manifestation of the atomic arrangement ❏ Minerals can grow! But only in good conditions ❏ Flourite, Halite, and Calcite are all examples of well formed crystals ❏ Minerals have a specific chemical formula which is called chemical composition ❏ Some minerals that have the same chemical composition but different atomic arrangements, giving the minerals different characteristics are called Polymorphs ❏ Granite (softest mineral) and diamonds (hardest mineral) ❏ Pressure and heat increases the deeper into the Earth ❏ Diamonds can actually start to break down as time goes by ❏ Physical properties of a mineral ❏ Crystal form ❏ Color (least physical property due to chemical impurities) ❏ Smell ❏ Taste ❏ Streak (mine