MInerals

Question 1

What is a mineral?

Answer 1

Naturally occurring, inorganic, homogenous solid with definite chemical composition, and an ordered crystalline structure.

Question 2

What are the characteristics of mineral?(5)

Answer 2

Now I Can Define Minerals.

Natural, Inorganic, Crystalline (atoms are arranged in an orderly pattern), Definite chemical composition, Solid.

Question 3

SiO2 is chemical formula of?

Answer 3

Quartz.

Question 4

What are the physical properties of minerals?(4)

Answer 4

Color, Streak, Luster, Crystal Habit

Question 5

It refers to certain wavelengths of light that are reflected by a mineral and is perceived by the observer.

Answer 5

Color.

-Color is not very reliable bc lots of minerals can occur in many colors.

Question 6

What is the streak of a mineral?

Answer 6

Color of the powdered form of a mineral. True color. Color of the mineral’s powder.

Question 7

Types of colors of minerals?

Answer 7

Idiochromatic minerals, allochromatic, pseudochromatic.

Question 8

Idiochromatic minerals are?

Answer 8

self-colored minerals. Their color is a diagnostic property. The color of the mineral is constant and depends on the elements that make up their chemical structure. Strong colors.

Question 9

Examples of Idiochromatic minerals.

Answer 9

Malachite(green), rhodochrosite(red), sulfur(yellow)

Question 10

Types of minerals where their color is not a reliable diagnostic property since impurities may alter their color. These minerals are often weakly colored or colorless in their pure state.

Answer 10

Allochromatic minerals.

ex. colorless, milky, smoky, citrine, amethyst, and rose.

Question 11

False-colored minerals. Colors due to light diffraction

Answer 11

Pseudochromatic minerals.

Question 12

Minerals with a hardness greater than __ usually don’t create a streak because they’re harder than the porcelain tile(unless specially made).

Answer 12

7.

Question 13

What is the Luster of a mineral?

Answer 13

Appearance of a mineral’s surface and is dependent on how it reflects light. How light shines off a mineral.

Question 14

Luster of a mineral can be?(2)

Answer 14

Metallic or Non-metallic.

Question 15

Types of luster. (8)

Answer 15

pearly - pearl or shell interior
silky - similar to silk with fine parallel threads
dull - plain-looking sheen
resinous - same with resin or chewing gum
earthy - opaque and looks like dirt
adamantine - shiny and brilliant
vitreous/glassy - sheen like glass
metallic - polished metal

Question 16

Characteristic shape in which a mineral grows and is a projection of the mineral’s crystal structure.

Answer 16

Crystal habit.

Question 17

Tendency of minerals to break along flat surfaces. Splits along planes.

Answer 17

Cleavage.

Question 18

What is the fracture of a mineral?

Answer 18

Pattern in which the mineral breaks aside from its planes of cleavage. Irregularly jagged lines.

Question 19

___ is the resistance of minerals to scratching.

Answer 19

Hardness.

Question 20

What is the specific gravity of a mineral?

Answer 20

The ratio of a mineral’s weight to the weight of an equal volume of water.

Question 21

What are the special properties of minerals?

Answer 21

Magnetism, Double refraction, fluorescence, phosphorescence, piezoelectric.

Question 22

Property of being attracted to a magnet. The mineral contains iron, cobalt or nickel.

Answer 22

Magnetism.

Question 23

What is the double refraction property?

Answer 23

You can see a double while looking through it. Ex. Calcite.

Question 24

The property that makes the minerals grow under ultraviolet light.

Answer 24

Fluorescence.

Question 25

What is the property of phosphorescence?

Answer 25

The mineral continues to glow even when the UV light is removed.

Question 26

Property in which ELECTRICITY can be generated from PRESSURE.

Answer 26

Piezoelectric. Example of this is Quartz.

Question 27

What are the identification tests for minerals? (3)

Answer 27

Hardness, streak, acid test.

Question 28

Test where you use hydrochloric ACID to identify minerals. Also used for tests for carbonates(calcite).

Answer 28

Acid test.

Question 29

The ___ scale of hardness is for hardness measurement. It is composed of 10 minerals.

Answer 29

Mohs.

Question 30

Who was Mohs scale of hardness named after?

Answer 30

Freidrich Mohs. He was born on January 29, 1773 in Gernrode, Germany.

Question 31

What are the 10 minerals used in Mohs scale?

Answer 31

Talc, Gypsum, Calcite, Fluorite, Apatite, Feldspar, Quartz, Topaz, Corundum, Diamond.

The Geologist Can Find An
Ordinary Quartz Tourists Call
Diamond

Question 32

What are the chemical properties of minerals?

Answer 32

Solubility and melting point.

Question 33

The chemical properties of minerals depend on their _____ formula and _____ structure.

Answer 33

Chemical formula, crystal structure.

Question 34

What is the solubility of a mineral?

Answer 34

ability of the substance to DISSOLVE. Ex. biotite, a mineral commonly found in igneous rocks is soluble in both acid and base solution.

Question 35

Refers to the temperature at which solid turns to liquid.

Answer 35

Melting point. Minerals with tight bonded atoms have high melting points. Ex, quartz melts above 1670 c.

Question 36

How many mineral groups are based on chemical composition?

Answer 36

9.