Earth Science Minerals Flashcards
-Pure Elements
-They are formed of simple molecules or individual elements arranged in repeating chains, sheets, or three-dimensional arrays.
-More than 4, 000 naturally occurring ……….-inorganic solids that have a characteristic chemical composition and specific crystal structure-have been found on Earth
Minerals
-A process of organizing atoms to form crystalline solids.
-Happens around cooling magma
Crystallization
-The cooling and hardening of lava or magma into mineral.
-Under extreme heat and pressure
Recrystallization
-The realignment of atoms in minerals under high temperature and pressure.
Rearrangement
-From the evaporating seawater
-Related to crystallization in forming minerals
Precipitation
-These flow through ground cracks
-Minerals are deposited by hot springs
Hydrothermal Solutions
-Are responsible for the physical and chemical properties a mineral possesses.
Crystal structure or “Internal Arrangement of Atoms”
-Iced water does not count (From refrigerator)
-Icebergs do
-Ex. Cinnabar
Solid
-Having definite chemical compositions
-Same atoms throughout the mineral
Homogenous
-Ex. Icebergs
-They happen throughout nature
Naturally Occurring
-Having the structure and form of a crystal
Crystalline in Structure
-Atoms vibrate in a fixed pattern
-Ex. Diamonds
-Has a definite heat fusion, sharp melting point
> Crystalline Solids
-Atoms vibrate in place in more random arrangements
-Irregular patterns
-Melt over a rage of temperature
-No definite heat fusion (What range the thing will melt)
> Amorphous Solids
-Does not come from a living organism
-Has not been bonded with carbon, and it could never bring life to a cell
-Material that has never been alive
-Ex. Fluorite
Inorganic
-A visual attribute of an object based on perception.
-One of the most obvious but not the most reliable.
- Color
-The color of finely crushed powder when a mineral is dragged across a streak plate.
-Weathering changes the exterior color but the streak gives its true color.
- Streak
-The shine of an unweathered mineral or the way it looks in reflected light.
-It can be metallic or non-metallic.
- Luster
-The ratio of mass and volume of a mineral.
- Density
-Resistance of a mineral to be scratched.
-The Moh’s scale is used to identify a mineral’s hardness
- Hardness
-The tendency of the mineral to break along zones of weakness and form semi-smooth or parallel surfaces.
- Cleavage
-An irregular or uneven break.
- Fracture
-When diluted acid (HCl) is placed on a mineral, it can bubble.
- Acid Test
-When mineral is attracted to a magnet
- Magnetism
-When a mineral glows under ultraviolet light
- Fluorescence
-Minerals usually taste salty
- Taste
-When a mineral exhibits a distinctive smell
- Smell
-When a mineral gives off radiation that can be measured with a Geiger counter
- Radioactivity
What are the 3 processes in forming minerals
- Crystallization
- Recrystallization
- Rearrangement
- Precipitation
- Hydrothermal Solutions
Characteristics of Minerals:
Solid
Homogenous
Naturally Occurring
Crystalline in Structure
