Unit 2: Minerals

Question 1

What are the rules for a substance to be called a mineral?

Answer 1

1. Naturally Occurring
2. Crystalline Solid
3. Defined Chemical Composition
4. Solid at Room Temperature
5. Physical Characteristics (cleavage, fracture, color, hardness, density)

Question 2

What is an atom?

Answer 2

The smallest unit of matter that retains characteristics of an element.

Question 3

What is an isotope? How does it help geologists?

Answer 3

A type of atom that has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.
It helps geologists use radiometric dating to calculate half lives.

Question 4

What is the most common type of mineral?

Answer 4

Silicates

Question 5

What are the forms that silicates can take?

Answer 5

1. Isolated
2. Chain (Single or Double)
3. Sheets
4. Complex 3D Structures

Question 6

What is a carbonate?

Answer 6

A mineral that has the carbonate ion (CO3).

Question 7

What are the 2 most common types of silicates?

Answer 7

Ferromagnesian and Non-Ferromagnesian

Question 8

How many minerals are there? How many are common?

Answer 8

About 3,500.
Only about 24 are common.

Question 9

Igneous rocks form from what?

Answer 9

Magma

Question 10

What are 2 types of igneous rocks?

Answer 10

Extrusive (Volcanic) - formed at surface from lava.
Intrusive (Plutonic) - formed from magma injected into the crust.

Question 11

List examples of plutons.

Answer 11

1. Sill - horizontal, flat.
2. Batholith - largest body of magma.
3. Laccolith - horizontal, dome-shaped, displaces rock.
4. Stock - small hump of magma.
5. Dike - vertical intrusion that leads to a sill or laccolith.

Question 12

What are the 4 igneous textures?

Question 13

How does Si content affect a rock?

Question 14

What are the 4 steps for rock formation?

Question 15

What are the 3 most common cements?

Question 16

What are 2 types of sedimentary rock?

Question 17

What is an evaporite?

Question 18

What are 2 things affected by metamorphism?