Chapter 4 - Minerals & Properties Flashcards
What are the four requirements for something to be considered a mineral?
Naturally Occurring, Inorganic, Crystalline Structure, Solids with specific compositions
What are the 2 ways that a crystal can grow to be large?
Long amounts of time to grow/cool, Unrestricted space
What are the 2 reasons crystals DO NOT grow to be large?
Not enough time/fast cooling, Restricted space
How many minerals have been identified and how many are common?
3,000 identified, <20 Common
What are 2 ways mentioned in class that minerals form?
From magma or a solution.
From solutions, what are 2 ways a mineral can form? (Understand that process)
1: Collects together in super-saturated solution
2: Solution evaporates & mineral is left behind
Know and name all special properties minerals can have. (5 in total)
Effervescence: Hydrochloric acid causes fizzing (calcite)
Double Refraction: Light splits to 2
Iridescence: A play of colors
Fluorescence: Glows under UV light
Magnetism: With iron, magnetite and pyrrhotite
When Observing a mineral’s streak, how do you know if it’s metallic or nonmetallic?
Dark Streak means metallic, light streak means nonmetallic
What terms describe how a mineral breaks, what’s the difference
Cleavage: Smooth/Flat break on cleavage planes
Fracture: Jagged edges/break
What is density?
The ratio of a mineral’s mass to its volume (D = M/V)
2 Elements in quartz, What group is quartz in?
Silicon and oxygen, silicates
Characteristic of quartz changed by presence of other elements
Color
Minerals mined for a profit called what? And, what determines if you mine these minerals?
Ore, if they make a profit/in demand
What does texture describe/what determines the texture of a mineral?
How it feels, it’s environment/trace elements
3 types of light interaction with a mineral
Opaque, Translucent, transparent
