Chemistry of minerals Flashcards
Which mineral has a fixed chemical composition?
Quartz
The variation in composition of natural olivine occurs between which two end members?
Forsterite and Fayalite
What type of bonding occurs when atoms donate or accept electrons to become ions?
Ionic bonding
Which mineral is an example of covalent bonding only?
Diamond
What tool is used to determine the internal atomic structure of minerals?
X-ray diffraction
The silicon-oxygen tetrahedron is the building block of which mineral group?
Silicates
What allows cation substitution in minerals like olivine?
Similar size and charge of ions
The formation of minerals from solution begins when the solution is:
Oversaturated
What is the smallest repeating unit in a crystal structure?
Unit cell
What type of bonding is responsible for the softness of graphite?
Van der Waals bonding
