Chapter 2: Matter and Mineral Flashcards
List five characteristics an Earth material should have in order to be considered a mineral.
Based on the definition of a mineral, which of the following materials are not classified as minerals, and why: gold; water; synthetic diamonds; ice; and wood.
Define the term rock. How do rocks differ from minerals?
What is the significance of valence electrons?
Why is color not always a useful property in mineral identification? Give an example of a mineral that supports your answer.
Why does quartz lack cleavage?
Explain the difference between the terms silicon and silicate.
Define Mineral
Differentiate rock from mineral
Building blocks of minerals
Atoms
This determines the atomic number and name of element
number of protons
A large collection of electrically neutral atoms, all having the same atomic number.
element
A resulting product when atoms combine to form complex substances
Compounds
How do atoms bond?
by gaining, losing, or sharing electrons with other atoms
one or more electrons are transferred from one atom to another, giving the atoms a net positive or negative charge
Ionic Bonding
The resulting electrically charged atoms
ions
consist of oppositely charged ions assembled in a regular, crystalline structure that allows for the maximum attraction of ions, given their sizes.
Ionic Compounds
the interatomic linkage that results from the sharing of an electron pair between two atoms.
Covalent Bond
A covalent bond forms when the bonded atoms have a lower total energy than that of widely separated atoms.
are variants of the same element that have a different mass number
Isotopes
the total number of neutrons plus protons found in an atom’s nucleus
Mass number
A process wherein some isotopes become unstable and disintegrate naturally
Radioactivity
What are the properties of minerals?
- crystal shape (habit)
- luster
- color
- streak
- tenacity
- hardness
- cleavage
- fracture
- density/specific gravity
What are the other special physical and chemical properties of minerals?
- taste
- smell
- elasticity
- feel
- magnetism
- double refraction
- chemical reaction to hydrochloric acid
These elements make up the bulk of these minerals and represent over 98 percent (by weight) of Earth’s continental crust.
- oxygen
- silicon
- aluminum
- iron
- calcium
- sodium
- potassium
- magnesium
The most common mineral group
Silicates
All silicate minerals have this fundamental building block
negatively charged silicon–oxygen tetrahedron
List the non-silicate minerals
- oxides
- sulfides
- sulfates
- halides
- native elements
most common rock forming minerals
carbonate minerals
e.g. calcite and dolomite
Nonsilicate minerals frequently found in sedimentary rocks
halite and gypsum
The endowment of useful minerals ultimately available commercially
Mineral resources
Resources that are already identified deposits from which minerals can be extracted profitably as well as known deposits that are not yet economically or technologicallyrecoverable
Reserves
This term is used to denote those useful metallic minerals that can be mined for a profit, as well as some nonmetallic minerals, such as fluorite and sulfur, that contain useful substances.
Ore
