Environmental Science | Energy + Minerals Flashcards by Kasie Bratton

What are the 5 characteristics of all minerals?

Must occur naturally in the earth.

Must be inorganic (not from living things).

Always solid.

Have a definite chemical composition.

Atoms arranged in a repeating crystal structure.

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What are the 6 physical properties used to identify minerals?

Color

Luster

Hardness

Streak

Density

Cleavage & Fracture

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Why is color not always a reliable property for identifying minerals?

Minerals can vary in color or change due to heat, chemicals, or radiation.

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What is luster?

How a mineral reflects light (e.g., metallic or nonmetallic).

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What is the Mohs Hardness Scale?

A scale from 1 (softest, talc) to 10 (hardest, diamond) measuring a mineral’s resistance to scratching.

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What is streak?

The color of a mineral’s powder when scraped on a streak plate.

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How does magma cooling speed affect crystal size?

Slowly: large crystals.

Quickly: small crystals.

Very quickly: no crystals.

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Name 3 special properties of minerals

Magnetite: magnetic.

Calcite: bubbles in acid.

Halite: salty taste.

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How are minerals used in daily life?

In food, buildings, electronics, and cosmetics (e.g., hematite for steel).

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What are future challenges with mineral supplies?

Depleting reserves, higher extraction costs, and environmental impacts.

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How can we preserve mineral resources?

Recycle and promote sustainable use.

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How is soil formed?

By weathering of parent rock (physical or chemical).

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How does soil incorporate Earth’s 4 spheres?

Lithosphere (minerals), hydrosphere (water), atmosphere (air), biosphere (plant roots).

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What are the soil horizons in order?

Organic matter → Topsoil → Eluviation layer → Subsoil → Parent Rock → Bedrock.

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What particles make up soil?

Sand, silt, clay (healthiest soils have a mix).

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How do humans destroy topsoil?

Erosion, compaction, salinization.

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What are the 3 types of wind erosion?

Creep, saltation, suspension.

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What are the 5 types of water erosion?

Sheet, rill, ephemeral, gully, streambank.

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Why is soil conservation important?

Topsoil forms slowly (1 inch/100 years) but is lost 17x faster.

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How can farmers conserve soil?

No-till farming, crop rotation, contour plowing, windbreaks, terracing.

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What is energy?

The ability to do work.

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Renewable vs. nonrenewable energy?

Renewable: replenished easily (e.g., solar, wind).

Nonrenewable: cannot be replenished (e.g., fossil fuels).

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Pros of renewable energy?

Low greenhouse gases.

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Challenges of renewable energy?

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Inconsistent production, large land use, storage needs batteries.

How are fossil fuels formed?

From decomposed ancient plants/animals under heat, pressure, and time.

Uses of fossil fuels?

Electricity, transportation fuels, plastics, cosmetics.

Problems with fossil fuels?

Depletion, climate change, health issues, high extraction costs.

The five characteristics of all minerals are: __________, __________, __________, __________, and __________.

Naturally occurring, inorganic, solid, definite chemical composition, crystal structure.

The color of a mineral’s powdered form, obtained by rubbing it on a streak plate, is called its __________.

Streak

Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, are replenished __________, while nonrenewable sources, like coal, are not.

Easily / quickly

Soil is formed through the weathering of __________, which can occur through physical or chemical processes.

Parent material (rock)

The soil horizon that contains the highest concentration of organic matter is called the __________.

Topsoil

Explain the difference between cleavage and fracture in minerals. Provide an example of a mineral for each.

Cleavage is when a mineral breaks along smooth, flat planes (e.g., mica). Fracture is irregular, jagged breaking (e.g., quartz).

Describe two challenges associated with using renewable energy sources on a large scale.

Intermittent production (no sun/wind = no energy). Large land requirements (e.g., solar farms in remote areas).

How does the rate of magma cooling affect the size of mineral crystals? Explain the science behind this process.

Slow cooling allows atoms to arrange into large crystals (e.g., granite). Fast cooling forms small or no crystals (e.g., obsidian).

List and briefly describe three farming methods that help conserve soil.

No-till farming: Reduces soil disturbance. Contour plowing: Prevents water runoff on slopes. Windbreaks: Trees/shrubs block wind erosion.

Why is topsoil loss a critical environmental issue? Include data from the provided material in your answer.

Topsoil forms at 1 inch per 100 years but is lost 17x faster due to erosion. It’s vital for agriculture and ecosystem health.

Explain how fossil fuels are formed and why they are considered nonrenewable.

Fossil fuels come from ancient decomposed organisms under heat/pressure (millions of years).

Compare the environmental impacts of fossil fuel use versus renewable energy sources.

Fossil fuels emit CO₂ (climate change); renewables have low emissions but need land/storage.

Propose a strategy to transition a city from fossil fuels to renewable energy, addressing at least two challenges.

Invest in solar/wind + battery storage; phase out coal plants. Address cost and infrastructure challenges.

Describe how wind and water erosion degrade topsoil. Include specific types of each (e.g., gully erosion, saltation).

Water (gully, sheet) and wind (saltation, creep) remove topsoil.

Analyze how modern farming practices (like heavy tilling) contribute to soil degradation.

Tilling destroys soil structure and kills microorganisms.

Recommend a sustainable farming plan for a region with high erosion risk, justifying your choices.

Use no-till + crop rotation to maintain soil health and reduce erosion.

The Mohs Hardness Scale ranges from 1 (softest, __________) to 10 (hardest, __________).

Talc, diamond

Fossil fuels are formed from the remains of ancient __________ and __________ that underwent heat and pressure over millions of years.

Plants, animals

The process by which rock breaks down into smaller pieces without changing its chemical composition is called __________ weathering.

Physical

Solar and wind energy are considered __________ because they can be replenished naturally in a short time.

Renewable

The layer of soil that contains leached minerals and nutrients from upper layers is called the __________.

Subsoil

Explain why streak is a more reliable mineral identification tool than color. Use an example.

Streak is consistent (e.g., pyrite is gold but has a greenish-black streak), while color varies due to impurities/weathering (quartz comes in many colors).

Describe two environmental consequences of relying heavily on fossil fuels for energy.

Climate change (CO₂ emissions). Air/water pollution (e.g., oil spills, smog). Ecosystem disruptions (drilling, removal of indigenous plants and wildlife).

How does chemical weathering differ from physical weathering? Provide one example of each.

Chemical weathering alters rock composition (e.g., acid rain dissolving limestone). Physical weathering breaks rock mechanically (e.g., ice wedging).

Why is soil considered a non-renewable resource in practical terms, even though it forms naturally?

Topsoil forms extremely slowly (~1 inch/100 years), while erosion degrades it 17x faster than formation.

Compare the crystal sizes of minerals formed from magma that cools slowly versus magma that cools rapidly.

Slow cooling = large crystals (e.g., granite); rapid cooling = small/no crystals (e.g., basalt).

Explain how plate tectonics can move mineral deposits underground.

Plate tectonics subducts crust, burying mineral deposits.

Discuss two major challenges associated with mineral depletion.

Deeper deposits cost more to extract; environmental damage; Supply and demand requirements drive up costs of products.

Propose two realistic solutions to extend the availability of critical minerals.

Increase recycling; develop alternatives (e.g., lab-grown minerals).

Describe how electricity is generated in a fossil fuel power plant.

Fossil fuel plants burn coal/oil to heat water → steam turns turbines → electricity.

Analyze why fossil fuel plants are considered reliable but environmentally damaging.

Reliability: Constant output. Environmental damage: CO₂, pollution, habitat loss.

Design an energy plan for a coastal city that reduces fossil fuel dependence while addressing the limitations of renewable energy.

Offshore wind + solar farms (high wind/sun), tidal energy, and grid-scale batteries to store excess energy.

Environmental Science | Energy + Minerals Flashcards

(59 cards)