Chapter 2- Minerals

Question 1

Who put together the periodic table?

Answer 1

Dmitry Meddle’ev

Question 2

What are the five characteristics to identify if something is a mineral?

Answer 2

1. Solid
2. Naturally occurring
3. Orderly crystalline structure (Not true 100% of the time)
4. Distinctive chemical formula
5. Generally inorganic (little or no carbon)

Question 3

What are rocks composed of?

Answer 3

Solid mass of mineral or mineral-like material

Question 4

Minerals are made up of elements, what are elements?

Answer 4

A single substance made up of only one type of atom. e.g. Gold(Au)

Question 5

What are atoms?

Answer 5

The smallest particles that can’t be chemically split

Question 6

Atoms are made up of?

Answer 6

Protons, neutrons, & electrons

Question 7

Protons & neutrons are?

Answer 7

Massive particles in the nucleus.
Protons have a positive charge
Neutrons have no charge

Question 8

What are the three types of atom bonds?

Answer 8

Ionic, covalent, metallic

Question 9

How does the ionic bond work?

Hint: an ion is a charged particle

Answer 9

An atom gains or looses an electron to bond with another.
Sodium(Na) has only one electron in it’s second shell, Chlorine(Cl) has seven electrons in it’s second shell. Therefore Na will give one electron to Cl in order to have a balanced relationship
(Think of a marriage relationship: sacrifices are made to make it work)

Question 10

How does the Covalent bond work?

Answer 10

Atoms share electrons when in close proximity but when they move apart they no longer “associate”
(Think of a one night stand)

Examples:
H2O - water
CO2 - carbon dioxide

Question 11

How does a Metallic bond work?

Answer 11

All atoms move freely while sharing all valence electrons

Think of an ATOM ORGY!!… Or Woodstock..

Question 12

What are the eight physical properties of minerals?

Answer 12

1. Luster
2. Light transmission (how light travels through it)
3. Color
4. Streak
5. Habit
6. Tenacity
7. Hardness
8. Cleavage

Question 13

What is luster and what are the two words to describe it?

Answer 13

How the light reflects off the mineral.

1. Metallic- shiny
2. Non-metallic- vitrious(glossy),dull, earthy, pearly, silky, greasy

Question 14

What are the three types of light transmission?

Answer 14

Transparent, translucent, opaque

Question 15

What is good to remember about the color of a mineral?

Answer 15

That it may not always be a good diagnostic property. e.g. Quartz, it comes in a variety of color

Question 16

What is the habit of a crystal?

Answer 16

The shape of the crystal, some have more than one habit but some have no distinct habit at all

Question 17

What is a mineral’s tenacity?

Answer 17

It’s resistance to breaking.

Question 18

What are the four types of mineral tenacity?

Answer 18

1. Brittle- shatter
2. Malleable- can be shaped
3. Sectile- can be cut into shavings
4. Elastic- return to original shape

Question 19

What is cleavage? (No, it’s not that Colt)

Answer 19

Orderly breakage

Question 20

What are cleavage planes?

Answer 20

Flat sides of a broken mineral. They are often described as directions and angles between them.
(Usually helped to identify the type of mineral)

Question 21

What is a fracture?

Answer 21

Irregular breakage

Question 22

What are the three types of irregular breakage?

Answer 22

1. Conchoidal
2. Splintering
3. Fibrous

Question 23

What are other properties that may be used to identify specific minerals?

Answer 23

Taste, smell, magnetism, double refraction, & fizzing