Question

drag each tile to the correct location.
determine whether the material is a rock or a mineral based on the description.
rock mineral

description	rock or mineral?
atoms in all specimens have the same structure and shape.
it is generally found in crystalline form.
every specimen varies in terms of atomic structure.

Explanation:

To determine if a material is a rock or a mineral, we use their definitions:

• Rock: A heterogeneous mixture of minerals (or other materials), so it has varied composition/atomic structure and may look mottled.
• Mineral: A homogeneous, naturally occurring solid with a definite chemical composition and crystalline structure (uniform atomic structure across specimens).

Step 1: Analyze "It often has a mottled appearance due to its heterogeneous composition."

Heterogeneous composition (mix of materials) matches rock’s definition.
→ Rock

Step 2: Analyze "Atoms in all specimens have the same structure and shape."

Uniform atomic structure across specimens matches mineral’s definition (homogeneous, definite structure).
→ Mineral

Step 3: Analyze "It is generally found in crystalline form."

Crystalline structure is a key property of minerals (minerals form crystals; rocks may contain crystals but are not defined by this alone).
→ Mineral

Step 4: Analyze "Every specimen varies in terms of atomic structure."

Varied atomic structure (heterogeneous) matches rock’s definition (mix of minerals with different structures).
→ Rock

Answer:

Description	Rock or Mineral?
Atoms in all specimens have the same structure and shape.	Mineral
It is generally found in crystalline form.	Mineral
Every specimen varies in terms of atomic structure.	Rock