What's the difference between a mineral and a rock?

Whats the difference between crystals and rock candy?

• Answer:

  A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material, whose constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are arranged in an orderly repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is crystallography. The process of crystal formation via mechanisms of crystal growth is called crystallization or solidification. The word crystal is derived from the ancient Greek word κρύσταλλος (krustallos), which had the same meaning, but according to the ancient understanding of crystal. At root it means anything congealed by freezing, such as ice.[1] The word once referred particularly to quartz, or "rock crystal". And Rock candy (also called rock sugar) is a type of confectionery mineral composed of relatively large sugar crystals. The candy is formed by allowing a supersaturated solution of sugar and water to crystallize onto a surface suitable for crystal nucleation, such as a string or stick. Heating the water before adding the sugar allows more sugar to dissolve and thus produces larger crystals. Crystals form 6-7 days. Food coloring may be added to the mixture to produce colored candy. So.. basically one is a solid ROCK! and the other is basically FOOD!! :) (enjoy)