Minerals

Question 1

Which of the following is not a part of the definition of a mineral?

Answer 1

Organic solid

Question 2

What is the most abundant element in the silicate earth?

Answer 2

Oxygen

Question 3

Which two elements are most likely to form the main minerals in the silicate part of Earth?

Answer 3

Magnesium and Silicon

Question 4

What is the building block of all silicate minerals?

Answer 4

Silicon–oxygen tetrahedron

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of a polymorph?

Answer 5

Diamond and Graphite

Question 6

What does a phase diagram help us understand?

Answer 6

When and how new minerals form under different conditions

Question 7

Why are periclase and forsterite rare in Earth’s crust, despite being predicted by the chondrite model?

Answer 7

The crust has different compositions and conditions than the deep Earth

Question 8

What process explains the formation of Earth’s crust and mantle from the bulk silicate Earth?

Answer 8

Fractionation (Differentiation)

Question 9

Which factor does not directly influence which minerals form inside Earth?

Answer 9

Time of day

Question 10

What caused the large increase in known minerals (to over 5400)?

Answer 10

Oxygenation of the atmosphere and presence of water