Minerals

Question 1

What is a mineral?

Answer 1

A naturally occuring, inorganic solid, that has a crystal structure and a definite chemical composition

Question 2

What are the 5 characteristics of a mineral?

Answer 2

Formed naturally, inorganic, solid, shape, chemical composition

Question 3

Inorganic:

Answer 3

Meaning it can’t come from material that was once a living thing

Question 4

Solid:

Answer 4

Definite shape and volume

Question 5

How can you identify a mineral? (8 characteristics)

Answer 5

color, streak, luster, density, hardness, crystal system, cleavage, fracture

Question 6

Color:

Answer 6

used to identify a few minerals that have their own characteristic coloring

Question 7

Streak:

Answer 7

Color of a mineral’s powder - porcelion - (unglazed)

Question 8

Luster:

Answer 8

How light is reflected from a mineral’s surface

Question 9

Density:

Answer 9

mass % volume

Question 10

Hardness:

Answer 10

using Mohs hardness scale, this scale ranks 10 minerals from softest to hardest

Question 11

Crystal system:

Answer 11

crystals grow atom by atom into a particular structure - 6 different categories

Question 12

Cleavage:

Answer 12

if a mineral breaks easily along flat surfaces

Question 13

Fracture:

Answer 13

When a mineral breaks apart in an irregular way

Question 14

What is an example of a special property?

Answer 14

magnetism

Question 15

What is the softest mineral on Mohs hardness scale?

Answer 15

talc

Question 16

What is the hardest mineral on Mohs hardness scale?

Answer 16

diamond

Question 17

What is a geode?

Answer 17

a rounded, hollow rock that is often lined with mineral crystals

Question 18

What is crystallization?

Answer 18

the process by which atoms are arranged to form a mineral with a crystal structure

Question 19

What are 2 ways minerals can form?

Answer 19

crystallization of magma and lava - crystallization of materials disolved in water

Question 20

What are the 3 types of rocks?

Answer 20

Igneous - Sedimentary - Metamorphic

Question 21

How does igneous rock form?

Answer 21

volcanic activity

Question 22

How does sedimentary rock form?

Answer 22

Deposition

Question 23

How does metamorphic rock form?

Answer 23

Heat and pressure

Question 24

What is a rock cycle?

Answer 24

a series of processes that change one type of rock into another type of rock

Question 25

What is the difference between magma and lava?

Answer 25

magma is inside the volcano - lava is outside the volcano

Question 26

What is an extrusive rock? What size crystals does it have?

Answer 26

igneous rocks formed from lava that erupted onto earth’s surface - small crystals

Question 27

What is an intrusive rock? What size crystal does it have?

Answer 27

rock that formed when magma hardened beneath earth’s surface - large crystals

Question 28

What are 2 classifications for metamorphic rocks?

Answer 28

foliated: metamorphic rocks that have their grains arranged in parallel lines
non-foliated: mineral grains arranged randomly

Question 29

What are the 4 steps in the process of forming sedimentary rocks?

Answer 29

erosion, deposition, compaction, cementation