Pyroxene

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/pyroxene

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the mineral group?Inosilicates with double-chain silica tetrahedra
2. What is the general formula?XY(Si,Al)2O6, where X and Y are cations
3. What are pyroxenes and why are they important in rocks?Pyroxenes are a family of minerals that form the building blocks of many igneous and metamorphic rocks. They help scientists learn about the Earth's crust and mantle.
4. How do pyroxenes form in magma?Pyroxenes crystallize when magma cools and solidifies. They are common in rocks like basalt and gabbro.

Inosilicate: A mineral characterized by the presence of linked chains of silica tetrahedra.
Cation: A positively charged ion, often a metal atom, that balances negative charges in a mineral structure.
Mafic Rocks: Igneous rocks rich in magnesium and iron, typically dark-colored.
Ultramafic Rocks: Igneous rocks composed almost entirely of mafic minerals, very dark in color.