What is the Difference Between Rock and Mineral?

The main difference between rocks and minerals lies in their composition and formation. Here are the key differences:

1. Composition: A mineral is a naturally occurring substance with a distinctive chemical and physical properties, composition, and atomic structure. Rocks, on the other hand, are aggregates of one or more minerals, or a body of undifferentiated mineral matter.
2. Formation: Rocks are generally made up of two or more minerals that are mixed together through geological processes. Minerals, can be composed of one or more elements or sometimes complex compounds of numerous elements.
3. Examples: Common rocks include granite, basalt, limestone, and sandstone. Granite is an igneous rock mostly made from different proportions of the minerals quartz, feldspar, and mica as interlocked crystals. A sandstone is a sedimentary rock that can also contain quartz, feldspar, and mica, but as grains compacted and cemented into each other.

In summary, rocks are composed of minerals, and minerals are the naturally occurring substances with distinctive chemical and physical properties, composition, and atomic structure.

Comparative Table: Rock vs Mineral

Here is a table that summarizes the differences between rocks and minerals:

In summary, rocks are composed of one or more minerals and can take on various shapes, while minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic solids with a defined chemical composition and crystal structure.