Test 2 Chapter 2 Flashcards
List five characteristics of a mineral.
Naturally occurring, Generally inorganic, Solid, Orderly crystalline structure, Definite chemical composition.
Based on the definition of mineral, which of the following – gold, liquid water, synthetic
diamonds, ice, and wood- are NOT classified as minerals?
Synthetic diamonds are not classified as minerals because they are not naturally occurring.
Wood is not a mineral because it is mostly organic, as opposed to inorganic.
Define the term rock. How do rocks differ from minerals.
A rock is defined as an aggregate of mineral or mineral-like matter that occurs naturally as part of
Earth. Rocks differ from minerals in that their definition is not as strict as minerals.
Make a simple sketch of an atom and label its three main particles. Explain how these particles
differ from one another.
Proton – positively charged particle in the nucleus of the atom. The number of
protons is the same as the element number.
Neutron – particle in the nucleus of the atom. It has no charge associated with it.
Electron – negatively charged particle that orbits the nucleus. There are the same
number of electrons as protons in a given element.
What is the significance of valance electrons?
The valence shell of an atom is its outermost shell and is responsible for bonding with other
atoms. The electrons of the valence shell are those that are shared with other atoms in the
bonding process.
What is the difference between an atom and an ion?
An atom does not have a charge because it has an equal number of protons or electrons.
Ions have either given up or taken on more electrons, giving the ion a positive or negative
charge.
How does an atom become a positive ion? A negative ion?
An atom that has given up one or more valence electrons becomes a positive ion. An atom
that has taken on extra valence electrons becomes a negative ion.
Briefly distinguish between ionic, covalent, and metallic bonding and discuss and discuss
the role that electrons play in each.
Ionic bonding – one atom “donates” its electrons to another, creating two ions
bonded to each other.
Covalent bonding – two atoms equally share valence electrons.
Metallic bonding – several atoms contribute their valence electrons to a pool of
electrons that are free to move through the entire structure.
Define luster.
Luster describes the quality of light reflected from a mineral’s surface. It may be metallic or
nonmetallic, with several subdistinctions among nonmetallic lusters.
Why is color not always a useful property in mineral identification? Give an example of a
mineral that supports your answer.
There may be small impurities in the mineral that will alter its color. Quartz is a notable
example, with rose quartz (pink) and amethyst (purple) being only two examples of color
variants.
What differentiates cleavage from fracture?
Cleavage occurs when a mineral breaks cleanly along a plane. This is due to a plane of
weak atomic bonding within the mineral. Fracture occurs when there is no distinct plane
along which the mineral can break; when hit with a rock hammer, the mineral will fracture
into irregular pieces.
What is meant by a mineral’s tenacity? List three terms that describe tenacity.
Tenacity is a mineral’s resistance to cutting, breaking, and other forms of deformation.
Three terms that describe tenacity are brittle, malleable, and sectile. Elastic is another
term
Describe a simple chemical test useful in identifying the mineral calcite.
Putting a drop of weak acid, such as HCl, on the mineral will create a visible reaction with
bubbling on the surface
List the eight most common elements in the Earth’s crust.
The eight most common elements in Earth’s crust, from most abundant to least abundant,
are: Oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium.
What is the most abundant mineral in the Earth’s crust?
Feldspar is the most abundant mineral in Earth’s crust.
