4: Earth Materials

Question 1

What is the definition of a “natural mineral”?

Answer 1

1. They occur naturally
2. They are inorganic
3. Has a specific chemical composition
4. Solid at room temperature
5. The atoms are arranged in a repeating pattern.

Question 2

What materials make up 75% of the earth’s crust?

Answer 2

Oxygen and silicon.

Question 3

What percentage of oxygen is in the crust?

Answer 3

46.6%

Question 4

What percentage of silicon is in the crust?

Answer 4

27.7%

Question 5

What percentage of aluminum is in the crust?

Answer 5

8.1%

Question 6

What percentage of iron is in the crust?

Answer 6

5.0%

Question 7

What percentage of calcium is in the crust?

Answer 7

3.6%

Question 8

What percentage of sodium is in the crust?

Answer 8

2.8%

Question 9

What percentage of potassium is in the crust?

Answer 9

2.6%

Question 10

What percentage of magnesium is in the crust?

Answer 10

2.3%

Question 11

What percentage of other materials are in the crust?

Answer 11

1.5%

Question 12

How are crystals formed?

Answer 12

When heat is lost, the atoms come closer together forming bonds. Crystals form in different solutions - it often forms in a liquid and then precipitates.

Question 13

What structure is a diamond in?

Answer 13

Carbon Tetrahedral

Question 14

What structure is graphite in?

Answer 14

A sheet of carbon atoms

Question 15

What are the names of the 6 mineral structures?

Answer 15

Cubic, Tetragonal, Orthorhombic, Monoclinic, Triclinic, Hexagonal?

Question 16

What does the cubic mineral structure look like?

Answer 16

The 3 axises are the same length and they join together at a 90º.

Question 17

What is an example of a cubic mineral structure?

Answer 17

Halite

Question 18

What does the tetragonal mineral structure look like?

Answer 18

All 3 axes intersect at a perpendicular angle - two of which are the same length.

Question 19

What is an example of a tetragonal mineral structure?

Answer 19

Wulfenite

Question 20

What does the orthorhombic mineral structure look like?

Answer 20

All 3 axes intersect at a perpendicular angle to one another, but are differing in lengths.

Question 21

What is an example of the orthorhombic mineral structure?

Answer 21

Topaz

Question 22

What does the monoclinic mineral structure look like?

Answer 22

All 3 of the axes are different lengths, 2 of which intersect at a 90º angle and the last intersecting at an oblique angle (not 90º).

Question 23

What is an example of the monoclinic mineral structure?

Answer 23

Gypsum

Question 24

What does the triclinic mineral structure look like?

Answer 24

All 3 axes are different in length and join together at oblique angles.

Question 25

What is an example of triclinic mineral structure?

Answer 25

Kyanite

Question 26

What does the hexagonal mineral structure look like?

Answer 26

All 3 axes are the same length meeting together at 60º. The 4th axis can be vertical and is often different in length.

Question 27

What is an example of the triclinic mineral structure?

Answer 27

Quartz

Question 28

What are the 6 categories we can separate the mineral identification in?

Answer 28

Silicates, Carbonate, Oxides, Sulphides, Sulphates, Halides, Phosphates, Natural Elements

Question 29

What percentage of minerals are in the silicate family on earth?

Answer 29

90%

Question 30

What are 2 types of silicate minerals?

Answer 30

Non-Ferromagnesium and Ferromagnesium

Question 31

What is Non-Ferromagnesium?

Answer 31

Minerals that contain silicon and oxygen (quartz)

Question 32

What is Ferromagnesium?

Answer 32

Minerals that contain silicon, oxygen, magnesium/iron.

Question 33

What are carbonates in terms of mineral identification?

Answer 33

Negatively charged carbonate ion + positively charged metal ion.

Question 34

What are oxides in terms of mineral identification?

Answer 34

Minerals that are combined with oxygen.

Question 35

What are sulphides in terms of mineral identification?

Answer 35

Minerals that are combined with sulphurs.

Question 36

What are halides in terms of the mineral identification?

Answer 36

Minerals that contain a halite (fluorine or chlorine) with a positively charged metal ion.

Question 37

What are phosphates in terms of mineral identification?

Answer 37

Minerals that contain a phosphate ion and a positively charged metal ion.

Question 38

What are native elements in terms of mineral identification?

Answer 38

Elements that occur naturally according to the 5 characteristics.