Chapter 9

Question 1

Which common metal was worth more per ounce than gold before scientists found a practical means of extracting it from the ore?

Answer 1

aluminum

Question 2

Is liquid water a mineral?

Answer 2

no

Question 3

Is seawater a mixture?

Answer 3

yes

Question 4

Sulfur is to native mineral as quartz is to

Answer 4

compound mineral

Question 5

Give an example of a mineral that has perfect cleavage

Answer 5

mica

Question 6

Obsidian, a mineral of volcanic origin, breaks in smooth, curved surfaces. What type of fracture does it show?

Answer 6

conchoidal

Question 7

A mineral rated as 1 on the Mohs scale is

Answer 7

soft

Question 8

A diamond will scratch feldspar and feldspar will scratch calcite. Which of these is the only possible hardness values for calcite, feldspar and diamond in the correct order?
A. 3,10,6
B. 10,3,6
C. 10,6,3
D. 3,6,10

Answer 8

3,6,10

Question 9

When you conduct an acid test on a mineral sample, you are watching for

Answer 9

gas bubbles

Question 10

A dark mineral sample attracts iron filings. You could conclude that the mineral is

Answer 10

magnetite

Question 11

A mineral sample gives a strong reading on a Geiger counter. You could conclude that the mineral is

Answer 11

pitchblende (a uranium ore)

Question 12

A transparent mineral fluoresces red and exhibits double refraction. You could conclude that the mineral is

Answer 12

calcite

Question 13

The best metallic conductor of electricity is

Answer 13

silver

Question 14

Is quartz a native mineral?

Answer 14

no

Question 15

A carat is a unit of

Answer 15

mass

Question 16

Scientists theorize that some macaws regularly eat clay because they

Answer 16

have a mineral deficiency

Question 17

Fool’s gold (also called pyrite), a mineral of iron and sulfur, is classified as a(n)

Answer 17

sulfide

Question 18

Mineral salts are more properly called

Answer 18

halides

Question 19

The mineral cinnabar, also called mercury sulfide, is an important source, or _________ of mercury.

Answer 19

ore

Question 20

A geologist who studies and identifies mineral samples is called a(n)

Answer 20

mineralogist

Question 21

The process by which a crystal grows is called

Answer 21

accretion

Question 22

If a mineral produces regular, flat surfaces when it breaks, then it exhibits

Answer 22

cleavage

Question 23

The brilliance of a diamond is due to its high index of

Answer 23

refraction

Question 24

___________ occurs when a mineral’s crystal structure splits a light beam passing through it into two parts. Thus, two images are seen through a transparent crystal.

Answer 24

double refraction

Question 25

A deep vertical shaft of rock produced by volcanic activity in which diamonds are frequently found is called a(n)

Answer 25

diamond pipe

Question 26

The most abundant family or class of minerals is the

Answer 26

silicates

Question 27

Oxides are compounds that consist of _____ and another element, usually metal.

Answer 27

oxygen

Question 28

A lab scientist performed a flame test on an unknown specimen and noted a beautiful violet flame. He recognized this as potassium, and another test narrowed the options down to either potassium carbonate or potassium oxide. Could he finish his identification by using hydrochloric acid? If so, name the specimen and explain your reasoning.

Answer 28

Carbonates fizz when tested with acid, so if bubbles form, he has potassium carbonate. No fizz means it is potassium oxide.

Question 29

What property does copper possess that makes it a good material for plumbing pipes?

Answer 29

Copper forms a tough outer layer when it tarnishes and, as a result, resists corrosion

Question 30

A mineral with only one kind of atom

Answer 30

native mineral

Question 31

two or more substances combined but not chemically bonded

Answer 31

mixture

Question 32

the color of a mineral's powder

Answer 32

streak

Question 33

the amount and quality of the light reflected from a mineral's surface

Answer 33

luster

Question 34

the ratio of the density of a specimen t the density of water at 4 degrees C

Answer 34

specific gravity

Question 35

the glow caused by ultraviolet light illumination

Answer 35

fluorescence

Question 36

the bending of light

Answer 36

refraction

Question 37

True or False | All minerals are composed of two or more elements

Answer 37

False

Question 38

True or False | All native minerals are pure elements

Answer 38

True

Question 39

True or False | Some minerals can have more than one color

Answer 39

True

Question 40

True or False | A mineral's streak is a more reliable way to classify a mineral than its apparent color

Answer 40

True

Question 41

True or False | Some minerals are too hard to leave a streak on a streak plate

Answer 41

True

Question 42

True or False | Cleavage and fracture both refer to the characteristic way in which a mineral breaks

Answer 42

True

Question 43

True or False | The Mohs scale is used to rate a mineral's resistance to fracturing.

Answer 43

False

Question 44

True or False | A mineral sample that can glow for extended periods in the dark is said to be fluorescent.

Answer 44

False

Question 45

True or False | Placer deposits are found deep underground

Answer 45

False

Question 46

True or False | Diamond is composed of carbon

Answer 46

True

Question 47

True or False | During the smelting process, heat is used to cause a physical change in which metal is separated from its ore

Answer 47

False

Question 48

Explain how you would determine the specific gravity of a mineral specimen in the laboratory.

Answer 48

refer to page 199

Question 49

What are some of the measurements used to describe the seven different basic crystal systems

Answer 49

refer to page 202

Question 50

From a Christian perspective, defend or refute this statement: "We should be actively engaged in locating, mining, and processing new sources of ores and their minerals."

Answer 50

refer to pages 209-210