Why is a mineral like a cake?
Why is a mineral like a cake?
The definition of a mineral can be difficult to understand. To look at it another way, we can compare a mineral with something we all know well - a fruit cake!
Can you compare a mineral and a fruitcake? Ask yourself the following questions.
Are cakes naturally occurring? No.
We make cakes.
Minerals form naturally, we don't make them. Cakes are not like minerals in this way.
Are cakes inorganic? No.
Fruit cakes are made of eggs, flour, sugar and fruit - all of these are organic - they come from plants and animals.
Minerals do not come from plants or animals. They are inorganic. Cakes are not like minerals in this way.
Are cakes solids? Yes.
Well, they should be a bit spongy, but they are not liquids or gases.
Minerals are solids. Cakes are like minerals in this way.
Do cakes have definite chemical compositions? Yes.
Think of it this way.
The ingredients needed to make a fruit cake are: eggs, butter, flour, sugar and fruit. If you miss out the flour the cake will be soggy. If the amount of sugar is wrong, it won't taste right.
The chemicals in a mineral are just like the ingredients in a cake. There has to be exactly the right amount of each chemical for the mineral to form properly. You cannot leave out any of their 'ingredients'. Cakes are like minerals in this way.
Do cakes have an ordered atomic arrangement? No.
However well you mix the ingredients in a fruit cake, some slices will always contain more fruit than others. Fruit is not arranged in an orderly way in a cake.
Chemical elements - the ingredients in a mineral - are arranged in an orderly way. All 'slices' of a mineral have the same chemical elements in the same places. Cakes are not like minerals in this way.
