General Knowledge Flashcards
What is the hardest mineral on the Mohs scale?
Diamond
What type of rock forms from the cooling of magma or lava?
Igneous rock
What is the process by which rocks are broken down into smaller pieces by physical or chemical means?
Weathering
Which mineral is commonly used in pencils?
Graphite
What is the term for the process of transforming sediment into solid rock?
Lithification
True or False: Marble is a metamorphic rock.
True
What mineral is commonly found in granite?
Quartz
What type of rock is formed by the accumulation and compression of sediment?
Sedimentary rock
What is the most abundant mineral in the Earth’s crust?
Feldspar
What is the term for the process of rocks changing form due to heat and pressure?
Metamorphism
What type of rock is formed from the alteration of existing rocks by heat and pressure?
Metamorphic rock
What is the term for the process of rocks being moved from one place to another?
Erosion
What is the term for the breaking of rocks into smaller pieces without changing their composition?
Mechanical weathering
What is the term for the breaking down of rocks through chemical reactions?
Chemical weathering
What type of rock is formed from the cooling and solidification of molten rock?
Igneous rock
What mineral is commonly found in limestone?
Calcite
True or False: Basalt is an igneous rock.
True
What is the process by which sediments are pressed together to form rock?
Compaction
What mineral is commonly found in sandstone?
Quartz
What type of rock is formed by the accumulation of organic material?
Organic rock
What is the term for the process of rocks being dissolved by water or acids?
Dissolution
What is the term for the removal of dissolved minerals from rocks by water?
Leaching
What mineral is commonly found in granite and gneiss?
Feldspar
What is the process of identifying rocks, agates, and minerals called?
Lapidary
True or False: Agates are a type of rock.
False
What is the term for the outer appearance of a mineral?
Luster
What is the scale used to measure the hardness of minerals?
Mohs scale
What type of rock is formed from the cooling and solidification of magma or lava?
Igneous rock
What is the term for the process by which minerals are formed in the Earth’s crust?
Crystallization
What is the term for the color of a mineral when it is powdered?
Streak
What is the term for the way a mineral breaks when it is fractured?
Cleavage
What is the term for a rock that is composed of different minerals?
Sedimentary rock
What is the term for a rock that has undergone changes due to heat and pressure?
Metamorphic rock
What is the term for the study of rocks and minerals?
Geology
What is the term for a rock that is formed from the accumulation and cementation of sediments?
Sedimentary rock
What is the term for the appearance or quality of a mineral’s surface?
Texture
What is the term for the process by which minerals are dissolved in water and then recrystallize?
Precipitation
What is the term for the way light interacts with the surface of a mineral?
Reflectance
What is the term for a rock that is formed from the solidification of molten rock material?
Igneous rock
What is the term for the color of a mineral when it is viewed in its natural state?
Color
What is the term for the process by which rocks are broken down into smaller pieces?
Weathering
What is the term for the process by which rocks are transported and deposited by wind, water, or ice?
Erosion
What is the term for the process by which sediments are transformed into solid rock?
Lithification
What is the hardest mineral on the Mohs scale?
Diamond
What type of rock is formed from cooled and solidified magma or lava?
Igneous rock
Which mineral is commonly used in making countertops due to its hardness and durability?
Quartz
What is the main component of limestone?
Calcium carbonate
True or False: Marble is a type of metamorphic rock.
True
What is the process by which rocks are broken down into smaller pieces called?
Weathering
Which type of rock is formed from the accumulation of organic remains?
Sedimentary rock
What is the most common mineral found in the Earth’s crust?
Feldspar
What property of a mineral describes its resistance to being scratched?
Hardness
What is the color of pure gold?
Yellow
What is the process by which rocks are changed by heat and pressure within the Earth’s crust?
Metamorphism
What is the main component of granite?
Quartz, feldspar, and mica
Which mineral is commonly used in pencils due to its softness?
Graphite
What is the process by which sediment is turned into rock?
Lithification
What is the term for the arrangement of minerals within a rock?
Texture
What is the main component of sandstone?
Sand-sized grains of minerals and rock fragments
True or False: Diamonds are formed from compressed coal.
False
Which mineral is commonly used in electronic devices due to its ability to conduct electricity?
Copper
What is the term for the study of rocks and minerals?
Geology
What is the process by which liquid rock cools and solidifies?
Crystallization
What is the main component of basalt?
Plagioclase feldspar and pyroxene
What is the term for the process of rocks being moved from one place to another?
Erosion
True or False: Granite is an example of an extrusive igneous rock.
False
Which type of rock is formed from the alteration of existing rock by heat and pressure?
Metamorphic rock
What is the process of identifying stones and agates based on their physical and chemical properties called?
Mineral identification
True or False: Agates are a type of precious stone.
False
What is the term for a stone composed of a single mineral?
Monomineralic
What is the term for a stone composed of multiple minerals?
Polymineralic
What is the term for the color of a stone’s powder when it is scratched against a porcelain plate?
Streak color
What is the term for the way a stone breaks when fractured?
Cleavage
What is the term for the way a stone breaks along irregular surfaces?
Fracture
What is the term for the measure of a stone’s resistance to scratching?
Hardness
What is the scale commonly used to measure the hardness of stones and minerals?
Mohs scale
What is the term for the way a stone reflects light from its surface?
Reflectance
What is the term for the vividness of color in a stone?
Saturation
What is the term for the presence of bands or layers in a stone?
Banding
What is the term for the process of examining the internal structure of a stone using a microscope?
Thin section analysis
What is the term for the process of identifying a stone based on its physical and optical properties?
Optical mineralogy
What is the term for a stone that has a distinctive pattern or coloration?
Agate
What is the term for the process of cutting a stone and polishing it to reveal its internal structure?
Lapidary
What is the term for the process of identifying a stone based on its chemical composition?
Chemical analysis
What is the term for the process of identifying a stone based on its isotopic composition?
Isotope analysis
What is the term for the process of identifying a stone based on its crystal structure?
Crystallography
What is the term for the process of identifying a stone based on its density?
Density measurement
What is the term for the process of identifying a stone based on its magnetic properties?
Magnetic susceptibility
What is the term for the process of identifying a stone based on its electrical conductivity?
Electrical resistivity
What is the term for the process of identifying a stone based on its radioactivity?
Radioactivity measurement
What is the process of rocks breaking down into smaller pieces called?
Weathering
Which type of rock forms from the cooling and solidification of magma or lava?
Igneous rock
What type of rock is formed from the compaction and cementation of sediment?
Sedimentary rock
What is the process of rocks changing form due to heat, pressure, or chemical reactions called?
Metamorphism
Which type of rock is formed from the alteration of existing rock through heat and pressure?
Metamorphic rock
What is the most abundant mineral group in Earth’s crust?
Silicates
What is the hardest mineral on the Mohs scale?
Diamond
What is the scale used to measure the hardness of minerals called?
Mohs scale
What is the color of a mineral in powdered form called?
Streak
What is the term for the arrangement of mineral grains in a rock?
Texture
What is the term for the size, shape, and arrangement of mineral grains in a rock?
Grain size
What is the term for the alignment of mineral grains in a rock?
Foliation
What is the term for the ability of a mineral to split along flat planes?
Cleavage
What is the term for the way a mineral breaks when it does not exhibit cleavage?
Fracture
What is the term for the resistance of a mineral to being scratched?
Hardness
What is the term for the specific gravity of a mineral compared to the weight of an equal volume of water?
Density
What is the term for the way a mineral reacts to acid?
Effervescence
What is the term for the arrangement of atoms in a mineral’s crystal structure?
Crystal lattice
What is the term for the deposition of sediment transported by wind, water, or ice?
Sedimentation
What is the term for the process of compacting sediment into solid rock?
Lithification