minerals Flashcards
5 characteristics of minerals
occur naturally, form from an inorganic process, solid, crystalline structure, definite chemical composition
properties of a mineral
internal atomic structure, color, streak, luster, hardness, breakage, density, crystalline structure
internal atomic structure def?
determines its properties
color def?
the minerals color
streak def?
the color of the minerals powder when rubbed on a streak plate
luster def?
the way the mineral shines/reflects light
hardness def?
how easily a mineral is scratched
breakage def?
how it breaks (cleavage or fracture).
density def?
(specific gravity) how tightly packed the particles of a mineral are for a given volume compared to water
crystalline structure def?
the atoms line up in a repeating pattern, flat sides called faces meet at sharp edges and corners.
what is the softest mineral?
talc
what mineral is the hardest?
diamond
how do we calculate density?
mass/volume
why is color not a reliable mineral property for identifying minerals?
because certain minerals can be different colors, for example, quartz is never the same color
list and describes three ways that minerals form
water evaporates leaving minerals behind, they dissolve and crystallize, cooling magma ad lava, organic processes
what causes crystals to be different sizes?
what are the different types of rocks?
sedimentary, metamorphic, igneous
how do sedimentary rocks form?
when rock particles get pressed and cemented together
how do igneous rocks form?
by cooling of magma
how do metamorphic rocks form?
by heat and pressure
what is the most common type of rock at the surface?
sedimentary
what are the three types of sedimentary rocks?
clastic, chemical, bioclastic
what are clastic sedimentary rocks formed from?
weathering, erosion, deposition, burial, compression, compaction, cementation
what are chemical sedimentary rocks formed from?
dissolved minerals that precipitate
what are bioclastic sedimentary rocks formed from?
dead plants and animals, made of carbon
_________ creates sediment
weathering
______ moves the sediment to a new location
erosion
_____ drops the sediment off at that new location
deposition
_____ the sediment is covered by more sediment
burial
_____ and ______ squish the sediment
compression; compaction
______ or ______ glues the sediment together
cementation; lithification
clastic sedimentary rocks are organized by ______ or particle ______
what is some evidence of sedimentary rocks?
fragments of sediment, fossils and remains of organisms, ripple marks from waves , polymineralic.
where do sedimentary rocks form?
in or near water
how do chemical rocks form?
dissolved minerals evaporate
what is an example rock for chemical sedimentary?
limestone, made up of mineral calcite
metamorphic sedimentary rocks are the most ______, they are changed without _______, they are organized by ________.
dense, melting, foliated.
foliated rocks are formed from from intense _____. we can see _________, _________, or ________.
examples are: ________________
pressure; mineral alignment; banding; layers; slate (banding), gneiss (minerals alignment), schist
non foliated metamorphic rocks are formed from intense _______ from magma. Does not show ____________, ___________ or ___________ example rocks:___________
heat; mineral alignment; banding; layers; marble (formed from limestone), quartzite (formed from sandstone).
how do igneous rocks form?
melting of rock creates magma and lava. the molten material the crystallizes and solidifies creating igneous rock
igneous rocks make up most of the_______
earth’s crust
igneous rocks are organized by _____________
intrusive/extrusive-crystals, holes, glassy
intrusive rocks form ______ with in the earth. magma cools_________. This creates __________ crystals which we call _______ grained. example rocks:___________
deep; slowly; large; coarse; granite, diorite
extrusive rocks form on ___________ of the earth. lava cools __________. this creates_________ crystals which we call ______ grained. some rocks have no crystals which creates a _________ texture. some rocks have holes that are left from gas bubbles in the lava this is called _________ texture. example rocks:__________
surface; fast; fine; glassy; vesicular; basalt, obsidian, rhyolite.
place the grain sizes in order from largest to smallest (clay, pebble, sand, silt)
pebble, sand , silt, clay
how does the rock cycle work????
sediments decompose and solidify into sedimentary rocks, heat and pressure turns sedimentary into metamorphic, metamorphic rocks melt and turn into magma, magma cools and turns solid into igneous rocks, then weathering and erosion turns igneous rocks back into sediments and the cycle keeps repeating.
