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GEOLOGY 101 > CH. 3: Minerals > Flashcards

CH. 3: Minerals Flashcards

1
Q

Which of the following determines the chemical properties of an element?

A

the number of protons

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2
Q

What is an ion?

A

an atom that has gained or lost 1 or more electrons and is charged either positively or negatively

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3
Q

A mineral, as geologists understand the term, is a naturally occurring solid substance with a definable chemical composition and…

A

a fixed crystalline structure

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4
Q

Which of the following is a mineral?

A

Table Salt (NaCl)

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5
Q

Which of the following fits the definition of a mineral?

A

Gypsum, because it’s crystalline

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6
Q

The crystallization of salt from evaporating sea water:

A

is an example of precipitation from a solution

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7
Q

What are the 8 most concentrated elements in Earth’s crust?

A

Si (silicon), O (oxygen), Na (sodium), K (potassium), Ca (calcium), Mg (magnesium), Fe (iron), Al (aluminum)

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8
Q

As the silicate structures change from isolated silica tetrahedra to chains and frameworks of silica tetrahedra, the ration of silicon atoms to oxygen atoms _____.

A

increases

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9
Q

Which of the following minerals is an example of a silicate

A

olivine (MgFe)2SiO4

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10
Q

Non-silicate minerals make up about ____ percent of Earth’s crust.

A

8

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11
Q

Which of the following everyday objects do you think contains minerals that need to be mined?

A

McDonald’s milkshake + eye-shadow + hard rubber + cell phone battery

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12
Q

Which model of the atom most closely represents our understanding of the structure of atoms?

A

probability model

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13
Q

How do the electrons behave in a mineral with metallic bonding?

A

they can move relatively easily from atom to atom inside the mineral

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14
Q

What minerals make up table salt?

A

halite

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15
Q

Sometimes minerals have nice crystal faces that can make them quite valuable to collectors. Minerals can form in this way:

A

providing there is open space for them to grow

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16
Q

Why does quartz have this pyramid shape?

A

this shape results from the ordered crystal structure of SiO2

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17
Q

Which statement correctly describes rock forming minerals and economic minerals?

A

rock-forming minerals consist of a few types of minerals that are abundant in Earth’s crust, whereas economic minerals are less abundant and are used extensively in the manufacture of products

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18
Q

The mineral composed of calcium carbonate that reacts with hydrochloric acid to produce carbon dioxide bubbles and a solution of water and calcium ions is called:

A

calcite

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19
Q

Are each of the following minerals, yes or no?

  1. gold nugget
  2. seawater
  3. quartz
  4. glacial ice
  5. calcite
  6. sugar
  7. table salt
A
  1. yes
  2. no
  3. yes
  4. yes
  5. yes
  6. no
  7. yes
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20
Q

Which of the following are true dark colored silicate minerals?

A

contain iron and magnesium

high density

high melting temperature

common in Earth’s oceanic crust

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21
Q

Given the periodic table below, are the following elements more likely to gain or lose electrons when forming an ion?

A

Lithium (lose)

Oxygen (gain)

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22
Q

Which of the following are true of light colored silicate minerals?

A

low density

low melting temperature

common in Earth’s continental crust

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23
Q

Which of the following silicate minerals has the most silicon relative to oxygen?

A

E

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24
Q

Which of the following best describes the term cleavage?

A

Cleavage is the splitting of minerals along natural planes of weakness.

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25
Q

What causes a lack of cleavage in some minerals?

A

Bonds of equal strength in all directions

  • A mineral will not have cleavage if there are not weaker bonds oriented in a particular direction.
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26
Q

Which of the following exhibits three sets of cleavage at 90° angles?

A

Galena

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27
Q

Hornblende has _____ cleavage planes at _____ angles.

A

two; non-90°

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28
Q

Quartz exhibits __________.

A

conchoidal fracture

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29
Q

The principal mineral used in making glass is:

A

quartz

  • The mineral quartz is a primary ingredient in the production of glass.
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30
Q

All of the following criteria define a mineral except:

A

it is organic

  • For any substance to be considered a mineral, it must be inorganic.
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31
Q

Which of the following substances is a mineral?

A

quartz

  • Quartz is a naturally occurring inorganic compound with an orderly internal structure and a chemical composition of SiO2.
32
Q

Specific gravity is used to describe the density of minerals. The specific gravity of a mineral indicates its weight as compared to water. Water is used as the comparison because it is something we are familiar with. Water is assigned a specific gravity of one, and other materials are compared to that. For example, if a mineral were twice as dense as water, its specific gravity would be two. If you had a gallon of that mineral, it would weigh as much as two gallons of water. (A gallon of water weighs about 8 pounds, so the mineral would weigh 16 pounds.)

Gold has a specific gravity of almost 20. A 5-gallon bucket of water weighs 40 pounds. How much would a 5-gallon bucket of gold weigh?

A

800 pounds

33
Q

________ refers to a mineral’s intensity and quality of reflected light.

A

luster

34
Q

Which of the following is not part of the definition of a mineral?

A

organic

35
Q

Which of the following best describes mineral habit?

A

The shape a mineral grows into, given sufficient space.

36
Q

What discourages minerals from achieving habit?

A

enclosed spaces

37
Q

Crystal habit is the shape that a mineral develops by the repetition of __________.

A

the basic unit cell of a mineral

38
Q

Other than space, what two additional factors are significant for a crystal to attain habit?

A

Time and necessary elements

39
Q

Atoms attach to one another creating compounds and the chemical structure of minerals. The attachments, called bonds, form when an electron is transferred from one atom to another or shared between atoms. The electrons in the outermost shell of an atom are usually involved in forming bonds. Through chemical bonding, atoms fill their outermost shell until it contains eight electrons. Once the outermost shell is full, it is stable and will not bond. This is known as the octet rule. Atoms on the far right side of the periodic table (the noble gases) contain eight electrons in their outer shell and will not bond with other atoms.

A

Atoms that have eight electrons in their outer shell—the noble gases—are stable and will not form chemical bonds with other atoms according to the octet rule. Other atoms are likely to either give up an electron to another atom, bonding the two together, or share an electron between atoms.

40
Q

Regardless of their size, most rocks are made up of __________.

A

minerals

All rocks are an assemblage of mineral crystals.

41
Q

Minerals must be solid, have an orderly atomic structure, have a recognized chemical composition, be naturally occurring, and __________.

A

be generally inorganic in origin

42
Q

A scientist creates diamonds using high-pressure laboratory experiments. These diamonds are not considered minerals because which of the following requirements has been violated?

A

Minerals must occur naturally.

43
Q

Which of the following is a mineral?

A

ice

44
Q

Why is glass is not considered a mineral?

A

Glass has a disorderly atomic structure.

45
Q

Color is a reliable identification technique for minerals.

A

False

46
Q

Most marine organisms produce the mineral substance ________, which will later become limestone.

A

calcite (CaCO3)

47
Q

How do rocks differ from minerals?

A

Minerals aggregate to form rocks, but rocks do not aggregate to form minerals.

48
Q

Suppose you found a mineral crystal that looked like topaz. What two minerals could you use in a scratch test to help determine if the mineral is indeed topaz?

A

Corundum and quartz

49
Q

Hardness describes a mineral’s __________.

A

resistance to being scratched

50
Q

What is the basic foundation of Moh’s hardness scale?

A

If a mineral scratches an object, then the mineral is harder than the object.

51
Q

Name the hardest and softest mineral on the Moh’s scale.

A

Diamond (hardest) and talc (softest)

52
Q

What mineral is not scratched by a fingernail, but is scratched by a copper penny?

A

Calcite

53
Q

The external expression of a mineral’s orderly internal arrangement of atoms is referred to as:

A

its crystal form.

54
Q

The property of cleavage reflects:

A

mechanical breakage along planes of weakness within the mineral.

  • Weaknesses in the bonds between atoms along planes within a mineral induce cleavage in the mineral when mechanically broken.
55
Q

In the field, you find an unidentified mineral that is clear, exhibits conchoidal fracture, and can scratch glass. This mineral is most likely:

A

quartz

56
Q

Everything is made of atoms. Atoms are the particles that make up minerals (and all elements). Each atom is composed of protons and neutrons at its center, or nucleus, and electrons, which surround the nucleus. Electrons have very little density and a charge of −1. Protons have higher density and a charge of +1. With the same number of electrons and protons, an atom is electrically neutral—it has no electrical charge. Neutrons have the same density as protons and no electrical charge.

The atomic number, shown in the key in the periodic table of elements below, represents the number of protons in an atom. This determines an atom’s chemical and physical characteristics as well as which chemical element it is; elements with similar properties are arranged in columns (groups) below. The mass number, which is the atomic weight of an element rounded up, is equal to the number of protons plus the number of neutrons in an atom. There can be several variations of a chemical element, which are known as isotopes. While an element maintains the same number of protons, the number of neutrons differs between isotopes.

Refer to the periodic table of the elements to help you answer this question. If the number of protons in an electrically neutral atom is 92 and its mass number is 238, what is the name of that element, its number of electrons, and number of neutrons?

A

Uranium, 92 electrons and 146 neutrons

  • As you can see above, the mass number, which is the atomic weight of an element rounded up, is equal to the number of protons plus the number of neutrons in an atom. The chemical nature of the atom—the element it represents—is determined by the number of protons it has.
57
Q

The amount or quality of light that is reflected from a mineral surface is known as __________.

A

luster

58
Q

What causes the same mineral to occur in varieties that are different colors?

A

A small amount of impurities in the crystal structure.

59
Q

Which of the following best describes the term streak?

A

The color of a powdered form of a mineral produced by rubbing it across a hard surface.

60
Q

Since color is not a very useful way to identify a mineral, what other optical property or properties can be used?

A

Luster and streak

61
Q

Which of the following best defines a mineral and a rock?

A

In a mineral, the constituent atoms are bonded in a regular, repetitive, internal structure; a rock is a lithified or consolidated aggregate of different mineral grains.

  • Geologists define a mineral as any naturally occurring inorganic solid that possesses an orderly crystalline structure and a well-defined chemical composition. In contrast to minerals, rocks are more loosely defined. Minerals are the building blocks of rocks. A rock is defined as any solid mass of mineral or mineral-like matter that occurs naturally on our planet.
62
Q

Which of the following is an accurate description of ionic bonding?

A

Atoms of different elements, having gained or lost electrons, form negative and positive ions that are bonded together by attractive forces between ions with opposite charges.

  • An ionic bond is the attraction of oppositely charged ions to one another, producing an electrically neutral compound. In the ionic bond one atom gives up one or more of its valence (outer) electrons to form ions—positively and negatively charged atoms. The atom that loses electrons becomes a positive ion (cation), and the atom that gains electrons becomes a negative ion (anion). Oppositely charged atoms are strongly attracted to one another and join to form ionic compounds.
63
Q

What atomic particle in an atom is the same for each element?

A

The number of protons in the nucleus.

  • The mass number of an atom is the total number of its protons and neutrons. Atoms of the same element always have the same number of protons, but the number of neutrons for atoms of the same element can vary. Atoms with the same number of protons, but different numbers of neutrons are isotopes of that element.
64
Q

Which of the following is correct for isotopes of the same element?

A

The atoms have different numbers of neutrons and the same number of protons.

  • Atoms with the same number of protons, but different numbers of neutrons are isotopes of that element. Isotopes of the same element are labeled by placing the mass number after the element’s name or symbol.

The mass number of an atom is the total number of its protons and neutrons. Atoms of the same element always have the same number of protons, but the number of neutrons for atoms of the same element can vary.

65
Q

What element is the most abundant in Earth’s crust by weight?

A

oxygen

  • Only eight elements make up the bulk of rock-forming minerals; they represent more than 98 percent (by weight) of the continental crust. These elements in order of abundance are oxygen (O), silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg).
66
Q

Which mineral is composed of silicon dioxide (SiO2)?

A

quartz

  • Quartz is composed of silicon dioxide; it consists entirely of silicon and oxygen. As such, the term silica is applied to quartz, which has the chemical formula SiO2.

Diamond is a native element consisting of carbon (C).

Olivine is a silicate mineral with the mineral formula (Mg, Fe)2SiO4.

Calcite is a carbonate mineral with the mineral formula CaCO3.

67
Q

Which of the following describes the way light reflects from the surface of a mineral?

A

luster

  • Streak is the color of the powered mineral that aids in identification. The streak is obtained by rubbing the mineral across a piece of unglazed porcelain, termed a streak plate, and observing the color or the mark it leaves. Hardness is the resisting to scratching on a smooth surface. Cleavage describes the way a mineral breaks.
68
Q

In which type of chemical bonding are electrons shared between adjacent atoms?

A

covalent

  • An ionic bond is the attraction of oppositely charged ions to one another, producing an electrically neutral compound. In the ionic bond, one atom gives up one or more of its valence electrons to form ions—positively and negatively charged atoms. The atom that loses electrons becomes a positive ion, and the atom that gains electrons becomes a negative ion. Oppositely charged atoms are strongly attracted to one another and join to form ionic compounds.
69
Q

Which of the following has the highest specific gravity?

A

gold

  • Specific gravity is a unitless number representing the ratio of a mineral’s weight to the weight of an equal volume of water. Gold has a specific gravity of approximately 20.00. Quartz has a specific gravity of 2.65. Water is the standard for specific gravity at 1.00. Woods vary in specific gravity; they usually are less than water, and thus float.
70
Q

What mineral is the hardest known substance in nature?

A

diamond

  • Diamonds are the hardest known substance in nature. One of the most useful diagnostic properties of minerals is hardness, a measure of the resistance of a mineral to abrasion or scratching. The property is determined by rubbing a mineral of unknown hardness against one of known hardness, or vice versa. A numerical value of hardness can be obtained by using the Mohs scale of hardness, which consists of 10 minerals arranged in order for 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest).

Silicate is the most dominant mineral class. Silicon and oxygen are by far the most common elements in Earth’s crust. These two elements readily combine to form the framework for the most dominant mineral class, the silicates, which are usually fairly hard (about 5.5-7 on the Mohs Scale). Native gold is relatively soft, 2.5-3 on the Mohs Scale. Muscovite is a common member of the mica family. It is fairly soft (2.5 on the Mohs Scale), light in color, and may have a glassy or pearly luster. Like other micas, muscovite has excellent cleavage in one direction.

71
Q

Which carbonate mineral reacts readily with cool, dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl) to produce visible bubbles of carbon dioxide gas?

A

calcite

  • Calcite is the carbonate mineral that reacts readily with cool, dilute hydrochloric acid to produce visible bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. Dolomite might fizz with warm HCl. Quartz and plagioclase are both silicate minerals, which do not fizz with HCl.
72
Q

Which of the following denotes the massive, positively charged, nuclear particles?

A

protons

  • Protons denote the massive, positively charged, nuclear particles.

Protons and neutrons are very dense particles with almost identical masses. By contrast, electrons have negligible mass, about 1/2000th of the mass of a proton. The protons and neutrons are located in a central nucleus of an atom that is surrounded by electrons. Both protons and electrons share a fundamental property called electrical charge. Protons have an electrical charge of +1 (positive) and electrons have a charge of -1 (negative). Neutrons, as the name suggests are neutral; they have no charge.

73
Q

Which of the following is not a fundamental particle found in atoms?

A

selectron

74
Q

What is the name given to an atom that gains or loses electrons in a chemical reaction?

A

ion

  • An ion is an atom or molecule that possesses an electrical charge. When an atom gives up one or more of its valence electrons to another atom, an ion forms positively or negatively charged atoms. An atom that loses electrons becomes a positive ion; an atom that gains electrons becomes a negative ion.

A molecule is a group of atoms bonded together. Atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons are isotopes of that element. Isotopes of the same element are labeled by placing the mass number after the element’s name or symbol. The nucleus of an atom contains the protons and neutrons.

75
Q

What are the lightest in weight or least massive of the basic atomic particles?

A

electrons

  • Electrons are the lightest in weight or least massive of the basic atomic particles.

Protons and neutrons are very dense particles with almost identical masses. By contrast, electrons have negligible mass, about 1/2000th of the mass of a proton. The protons and neutrons are located in a central nucleus of an atom that is surrounded by electrons. Both protons and electrons share a fundamental property called electrical charge. Protons have an electrical charge of +1 and electrons have a charge of -1. Neutrons, as the name suggests, are neutral; they have no charge.

76
Q

What is the tendency of certain minerals to break along smooth, parallel planes called?

A

cleavage

  • Cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to break (cleave) along planes of smooth bonding. In the crystal structure of many minerals, some atomic bonds are weaker than others. It is along these weak bonds that minerals tend to break when stressed.

Luster is the appearance or quality of light reflected from the surface of a mineral. Streak is the color of the powered mineral that aids in identification. The streak is obtained by rubbing the mineral across a piece of unglazed porcelain, termed a streak plate, and observing the color or the mark it leaves. Crystal form is the “primary” shape of a mineral as it grew in nature.

GEOLOGY 101 (5 decks)

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