Geology Flashcards
Hardness Scale
- Talc
- Gypsum
2.5 Finger nail - Calcite
3.5 Copper coin - Fluorite
- Apatite
5.5 Steel pin - Feldspar
6.5 Steel blade - Quartz
- Topaz
- Corundum
- Diamond
Tests for Minerals
Acid test- reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid
Cleavage Planes- well defined flat planes
Hardness test- scratched with steel pin or finger nail
Streak test- powder left on porcelain plate
Internal Structure
Atmosphere- gas
Hydrosphere- liquid/solid
Crust- solid
Mantle- solid
Outer core- liquid
Inner core- solid
Density Equation
mass(g)/volume(cm cubed)
light<3.0
hefty 3-5
very hefty >5.0
Describing Minerals
Prismatic
Ancicular
Botrtoidal
Dendritic
Mammilated
Massive
Lamella
Tabular
Twinning
Further Describing Minerals
Lustre- adamantine, vitreous, metallic
Conchoidal- broken glass
Even/blocky- flattish
Uneven- ridge/depression
Transparent, translucent, opaque
Silicic Minerals
Quartz, Orthoclase, Plagioclase, Muscovite
Mafic Minerals
Biotite, Hornblende, Augite, Olivine
Silicate Structures
Single Tetrahedra- olivine
Single Chain- augite
Double Chain- hornblende
Sheet Silicates- muscovite (K), biotite (Fe/Mg)
Framework- quartz (strong bonds), feldspar (weak bonds)
Other Minerals
heamatite, galena, pyrite, chalcopyrite, calcite, fluorite, barite, gypsum, hailite
External Energy
powers surface processes e.g. solar energy, gravity
Internal Energy
heat powers uplift e.g. radioactive decay, heat
P Waves
compressional/longitudinal, incompressible, 6.5km/s, travels through solids/ liquids/gas, shadow zone at 103-142
S Waves
shear/transverse, rigidity, 3.5km/s, travels through solids/semi-solids, shadow zone at 103-103
Wave Acceleration
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