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Geology Flashcards

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0
Q

What is the hardness of a mineral?

A

The hardness of a mineral is its ability to resist scratching.

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1
Q

List the five properties a substance must have to be considered a mineral.

A
  1. naturally-occurring
  2. inorganic
  3. solid
  4. internal atomic structure
  5. definite chemical composition
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2
Q

What is the name of the hardness scale?

A

Moh’s Hardness Scale

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3
Q

What is the hardest mineral? What are the softest minerals?

A

Hardest- Diamond

Softest- Talc & Gypsum

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4
Q

What is the cleavage of a mineral?

A

Cleavage is the ability of a mineral to break along preferred planes.

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5
Q

What is the difference between “perfect cleavage” and “good cleavage”?

A

Perfect Cleavage- Minerals almost always break in a preferred direction.
Good Cleavage- Minerals will sometimes break in a particular direction and other times, may not.

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6
Q

Name any two types of cleavage.

A
  1. Blocky

2. Prismatic

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7
Q

What is the luster of a mineral?

A

Luster refers to how light is reflected from the surface of a mineral.

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8
Q

What are the two types of luster?

A
  1. Metallic

2. Nonmetallic

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9
Q

Minerals that have metallic luster look like…

A

metal

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10
Q

What are the four types of nonmetallic luster?

A
  1. Vitreous- luster of glass
  2. Pearly- luster of pearls
  3. Greasy- looks like covered in a thin layer of oil
  4. Silky- luster of silk
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11
Q

For some minerals, color is directly related to…

A

one of the major elements

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12
Q

Why is color not a good way of identifying minerals?

A
  1. Most minerals occur in more than one color.

2. Some colors of minerals change over time.

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13
Q

What is the streak of a mineral?

A

The streak of a mineral is the color of the powder left behind on a streak plate when the mineral is scraped across it.

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14
Q

Streak can be useful for identifying…

A

metallic and earthy minerals

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15
Q

What is specific gravity?

A

Specific gravity is the “heaviness” of a mineral.

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16
Q

What are two things specific gravity depends on?

A
  1. the kinds of atoms that comprise the mineral

2. how atoms are packed together

17
Q

There are no minerals with the specific gravity of…

A

zero

18
Q

One way to test for halite is to…

A

taste it

19
Q

What is the study of rocks and minerals called?

A

geology

20
Q

What is the least reliable characteristic of a mineral?

A

Color

21
Q

What is the mineral that looked like plastic and is used in make up?

A

muscovite

22
Q

Which mineral is called fool’s gold?

A

pyrite

23
Q

Which mineral is attracted to a magnet?

A

magnetite

24
Q

What is one of the best properties used to indicate Calcite (aka Iceland Spar)?

A

if it reacts to hydrochloric acid by effervescing

25
Q

How do small crystals form?

A

rapid cooling

26
Q

Shiny minerals, such as pyrite, are said to have a metallic what?

A

luster

27
Q

Which mineral is actually common table salt?

A

halite

28
Q

In lab, the color of a minerals powder was determined by using what?

A

streak/ streak plates

29
Q

What mineral streaks red-brown and was used in the lab?

A

hematite

30
Q

Which mineral can be found inside your pencil and is used to write?

A

graphite

31
Q

Which two minerals can be scraped with your fingernail?

A

Talc & Gypsum

32
Q

Minerals are classified according to…

A
  • streak
  • luster
  • hardness
  • cleavage
  • magnetic or not
33
Q

What is the name of the process that forms minerals?

A

crystallization

34
Q

How are large crystals formed?

A

Slow cooking

35
Q

What is a sign of a chemical reaction? What should you look for?

A
  • dropping hydrochloric acid (or some acid) on a mineral

- look for bubbling/ effervescing

36
Q

How do minerals form near the mid-ocean ridge?

A

Minerals form near the mid-ocean ridge from solutions at places where tectonic plates spread apart.

37
Q

Describe conditions in which large and small crystals are likely to form.

A

Large crystals are likely to form from slow cooling. Small crystals are likely to form from rapid cooling.

38
Q

Describe how halite deposits form.

A

Halite deposits form over millions of years when ancient seas slowly evaporated.

39
Q

In general, what are the two ways in which minerals form?

A

In general, one way minerals form are through crystallization of melted materials. The second way is through crystallization of materials dissolved in water.

Science (4 decks)

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