Chapter 1: Minerals Of The Earth's Crust Flashcards
Characteristics of minerals:
Atoms and compounds- each element is made out of only 1 kind of atom. Most minerals are made out of several different elements.
Crystals- solid, geometric forms of minerals produced by a repeating pattern of atoms or molecules that is present throughout the mineral.
How to tell if an object is a mineral: Is it nonliving material?
A mineral is inorganic, meaning it isn’t made of living things.
How to tell if an object is a mineral: is it a solid?
Minerals can’t be gases or liquids.
How to tell if an object is a mineral: Is it formed in nature?
Crystalline materials made by people aren’t classified as minerals.
How to tell if an object is a mineral: does it have a crystalline structure?
Minerals are crystals, which have a repeating inner structure that is often reflected in the shape of the crystal. Minerals generally have the same chemical composition throughout
A mineral that contains a combination of silicon and oxygen and that may also contain one or more metals. (90% of earths crust) Usually contains aluminum, iron, magnesium, potassium.
Silicate mineral
A mineral that does not contain compounds of silicon and oxygen. (10 % of earths crust) Usually made up of carbon fluorine, sulfur.
Nonsilicate mineral
A substance that cannot be separated or broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. It is only made up of one kind of atom. Ex. Gold
Element
A substance made up of atoms two or more different elements joined by chemical bonds.
Compound
A solid geometric form of mineral produced by a repeating pattern of atoms or molecules that are present throughout a mineral
Crystal
Identifying minerals: Color
The same mineral can come in a variety of color. Impurities and the way a mineral reacts to air and water affect color. Not the best way to identify a mineral
Identifying minerals: luster
The way in which a mineral reflects light.
Shiny=metallic luster
Dull=sub/non metallic
Identifying minerals: streak
The color of a mineral in powdered form
It is seen when you rub a mineral against a streak plate
Better way to identify a mineral than color
Identifying minerals: cleavage
When a mineral breaks along a smooth flat surface
Identifying minerals: fracture
When a mineral breaks unevenly along a curved or irregular surface.
Identifying minerals: hardness
A measure of the ability of a mineral to resist scratching
Measured by Moh’s Hardness Scale
Talc = 1. Diamond = 10
Identifying minerals: density
Measure of how much matter is in a given amount of space. Golf ball feels heavier than a ping pong ball
Specific gravity- the ratio of an objects density to the density of water
A naturally formed inorganic solid that has a definite crystalline structure
Mineral
The smallest part of an element that has all the properties of an element such as color, density, luster, streak, hardness cleavage and fracture
Atom
A mineral that is composed of only one element is called
Native element
What determines a Chrystal’s shape
The arrangement of atoms or molecules that make up the mineral
A minerals properties depend on what
The environment where the mineral is formed
Near earths surface Or
Deep beneath the surface
A mineral deposit large enough and pure enough to be mined for profit
Ore
Mining done Identifying minerals:hen minerals are close to earths surface by use of open pits, surface coal mines and quarries
Surface mining
