Lecture 2 Flashcards
Define mineral
Naturally occurring, inorganic, crystalline solid, with a definite, bit sometimes variable, chemical composition.
Can the chemical composition of a mineral vary?
Yes, within a restricted range.
What is the smallest component of nature within the properties of a given substance?
Atom
What are the 3 types of bonds?
Ionic, covalent, metallic
What does atomic structure determine?
What element it is, the type of ion, and what bonds can form.
Define an element.
A substance made entirely from one type of atom.
How many elements are there?
118
What charge is needed to crystallize?
Neutral charge.
What are 7 mineral properties?
Hardness, cleavage, lustre, streak, density, crystal form and habit, colour.
What is the mineral property cleavage?
The ability of a mineral to break in a reproducible way leaving a flat smooth surface.
What is fracture?
Uneven breakage.
What is hardness?
How easily a mineral can be scratched.
What is the mineral property lustre due to?
The interaction between light waves and the electrons in the crystal structure.
What is the mineral property colour a result of?
Result of wavelengths that are absorbed or reflected due to crystal structure.
Streak?
Colour of powdered mineral on porcelain plate.
What is Crystal form due to?
Due to atomic structure.
Density?
due to number of protons and nuetrons.
What are the 7 major mineral classes?
Silicates, native elements, oxides, sulfides, sulfates, halides, carbonates.
What determines the atomic number of an element?
The number of protons in the nucleus.
What determines the mass number of an element?
The number of neutrons and protons in the nucleus.
What is an isotope?
An atom with a differing number of neutrons but similar number of protons.
What is an ion?
An atom with an electric charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electron.
A large number of different minerals can be formed based upon…?
The 6 most abundant metallic ions, different silicate structures, single and double substitution.
