matter and minerals (3) Flashcards
Mineralogy
The study of minerals
Mineral
A naturally occurring, inorganic crystalline material with a unique chemical structure
Rock
A consolidated mixture of minerals
List five characteristics of a mineral
Naturally Occurring Generally Inorganic Orderly Chrystal Structure Solid Definite Chemical Composition
Based on the definition of a mineral, which of the following- gold, liquid water, synthetic diamonds, ice, and wood- are not classified as minerals?
liquid water
synthetic diamonds
wood
Atom
The smallest particle that exists as an element
Nucleus
The small, heavy core of an atom that contains all of its positive charge and most of its mass
Proton
A positively charged subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom
Neutrons
A subatomic particle in the nucleus of an atom. The neutron is electrically neutral, with a mass approximately equal to that of a proton
Electrons
A negatively charged subatomic particle that has a negligible mass and is found outside an atom’s nucleus
Valence Electrons
The electrons involved in the bonding process; the electrons occupying the highest principal energy level of an atom
Atomic Number
The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
Element
A substance that cannot be decomposed into simpler substances by ordinary chemical or physical means
Periodic Table
An arrangement of the elements in which atomic number increases from the left to right and elements with similar properties appear in columns called families or groups
Chemical Compound
A substance formed by the chemical combination of two or more elements in definite proportions and usually having properties different from those of its constituent elements
Chemical Bond
A strong attractive force that exists between atoms in a substance. It involves the transfer or sharing of electrons that allows each atom to attain a full valence shell
Octet Rule
A rule which states that atoms combine in order that each may have the electron arrangement of a noble gas (that is, the outer energy level contains eight neutrons)
Ionic Bond
A chemical bond between two oppositely charged ions that is formed by the transfer of valence electrons from one atom to the other
Ion
An atom or a molecule that possesses an electrical charge
Covalent Bond
A chemical bond produced by the sharing of electrons
Metallic Bond
A chemical bond that is present in all metals that may be characterized as an extreme type of electron sharing in which the electrons move freely from atom to atom
How does an atom become a positive ion? A negative ion?
If an electron leaves it becomes positive
If an electron is gained it becomes negative
Describe three ways minerals can form.
Precipitate from solution
Crystalize magma
Organisms
Diagnostic Properties
Properties of minerals that aid in mineral identification. Taste or feel, crystal shape, and streak are examples of diagnostic properties
Ambiguous Properties
Properties of minerals that may vary among different samples of the same mineral, such as color
Luster
The appearance of quality of light reflected from the surface of a mineral
Color
A phenomenon of light by which otherwise identical objects may be differentiated
Streak
The color of a mineral in powdered form
Habitat
Refers to the common or characteristic shape of a crystal or an aggregate of crystals
Hardness
A mineral’s resistance to scratching and abrasion
Mohs scale
A series of 10 minerals used as a standard in determining hardness
Cleavage
The tendency of a mineral to break along planes of weak bonding
Fracture
Any break or rupture in rock along which no appreciable movement has taken place
Tenacity
Describes a mineral’s toughness or resistance to breaking or deforming
Density
A property of mater defined as mass per unit volume
Specific Gravity
The ratio of a substance’s weight to the weight of an equal volume of water
Crystal
Any natural solid with an ordered, repetitive atomic structure
Unit Cell
The smallest group of atoms, ions, or molecules that form the building block of a crystal
Steno’s Law- Law of Constancy of Interfacial Angles
A law which states that the angle between equivalent faces of the same mineral is always the same
Polymorphs
Two or more minerals that have the same chemical composition but different crystalline structures. Exemplified by the diamond and graphite forms of carbon
Rock-Forming Minerals
The relatively few minerals that make up most of the rocks in Earth’s crust
Economic Mineral
A concentration of a mineral resource or reserve that can be profitably extracted from Earth
Silicate
Any one of numerous minerals that have the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron as their basic structure
Nonsilicates
Mineral groups that lack silicas in their structures and account for less than 10% of Earth’s crust
List the 8 most common elements in Earth’s crust
Oxygen Silicon Aluminum Iron Calcium Sodium Potassium Magnesium
Silicon-oxygen tetrahedron
A structure composed of four oxygen atoms surrounding a silicon atom that constitutes the basic building block of silicate minerals
Polymerization
The ability of silicate tetrahedra to link to one another in a variety of configurations, including chains, sheets, and three-dimensional structures
Nonferromagnesian/Light Silicates
A silicate mineral that lacks iron and/or magnesium. Light silicates are generally lighter in color and have lower specific gravities than dark silicates
Potassium Feldspar
An abundant, relatively hard light silicate mineral containing potassium ions in its structure
Plagioclase Feldspar
A relatively hard light silicate mineral containing both sodium and calcium ions that freely substitute for one another depending on the crystallization environment
Quarts
A common silicate mineral consisting entirely of silicon and oxygen that resists weathering
Muscovite
A common member of the mica family of minerals with excellent cleavage
Clay
A group of light-colored silicates that typically form as products of a chemical weathering of igneous rocks. It is a major component of soil and sedimentary rocks.
Kaolinite
A common clay mineral derived from the weathering of feldspar
Ferromagnesian/Dark Silicates
A silicate mineral that contains ions of iron and/or magnesium in its structure. Dark silicates are dark in color and have higher specific gravity than nonferromagnesian silicates
Olivine
A high-temperature, dark silicate mineral typically found in basalt
Augite
A black, opaque silicate mineral of the pyroxene group that is a dominant component of basalt
Hornblende
A dark green to black mineral of the amphibole group, often found in igneous rocks
Biotite
A dark, iron-rich mineral and member of the mica family that displays excellent cleavage
Garnet
A silicate mineral composed of individual silica tetrahedra. Garnet is most often brown to deep red and has a glassy luster, lacks cleavage, and exhibits conchoidal fracture
Calcite
Calcium carbonate (CaCo3), one of the two most common carbonate minerals
Dolomite
Calcium/magnesium carbonate (CaMg(Co3)2), one of the two most common carbonate minerals
Halite
The mineral name for common table salt (NaCl); a nonsilicate mineral commonly found in sedimentary rocks
Gypsum
A hydrate calcium sulfate mineral. It is the mineral of which plaster, drywall, and other similar building materials are composed
