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Geology Fall 24' > Geol 100 Final > Flashcards

Geol 100 Final Flashcards

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1
Q

What defines a mineral (5 parts)

A
  1. naturally occuring
  2. inorganic
  3. solid
  4. defined chemical composition
  5. unique crystal structure
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2
Q

How are igneous rocks named?

A

based on texture and mineral composition (e.g granite and basalt)

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3
Q

what are two roles of fluids in metamorphism

A

facilitate mineral reactions by providing ions and lower the melting point of rocks

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4
Q

what is metasomatism

A

chemical alteration of rocks caused by fluid flow (water and carbon dioxide)

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5
Q

Name three important rock-forming silicate minerals

A

quartz, feldspars, and micas

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6
Q

Name 2 carbonate and 2 oxide and 1 sulfate rock-forming mineral

A

carbonates: calcite and dolomite
Oxide: hematite and magnetite
Sulfate: gypsum

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7
Q

What are nesosilicates? Give an example

A

Isolated tetrahedra silicates and example would be olivine

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8
Q

How do phyllosilicates differ structurally from tectosilicates?

A

Phyllosilicates are sheet silicates and tectosilicates form a 3D framework

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9
Q

Define Fractional Crystallization

A

removal of crystals from melt, changing the remaining magma’s composition

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10
Q

What is partial melting?

A

melting of specific minerals in a rock, producing magma of varying composition

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11
Q

Why are zircons ideal for geochronology

A

resilient to weathering, incorporate U but exclude Pb, enabling precise U-Pb dating

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12
Q

What isotopic system is used in zircon dating?

A

U-Pb system

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13
Q

What does the solidus line represent

A

the temperature below which a material is completely solid

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14
Q

How is the lever rule used in phase diagrams?

A

Determines phase proportions at a given temperature and composition

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15
Q

What are the four main stages of the sedimentary rock cycle

A

weathering, erosion/transport, deposition, lithification

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16
Q

What is lithification

A

The process of compacting and cementing sediments into rock

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17
Q

What is the difference between a rock and a mineral

A

A mineral is a single substance with a specific composition and a structure; a rock is an aggregate of one or more minerals

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18
Q

How are metamorphic rocks named?

A

Based on their protolith, texture, and mineral assemblage (foliated or non-foliated)

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19
Q

What are sedimentary rocks primarily classified by?

A

grain size, composition, and depositional environment

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20
Q

name 2 common fluids in metamorphism

A

water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2)

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21
Q

How do fluids affect the rate of metamorphic reactions

A

By providing ions that enhance the reactions process

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22
Q

What role do fluids play in hydrothermal systems?

A

transport dissolved minerals and precipitate them in new locations

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23
Q

what are the 2 types of feldspar

A

orthoclase (potassium feldspar) and plagioclase (sodium/calcium feldspar)

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24
Q

name 2 common micas found in rocks and what do they contain in their chemical formula

A

muscovite and biotite (OH)

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25
why is quartz a significant rock-forming mineral
it is chemically stable and resistant to weathering
26
what are sorosilicates? provide an example
bowtie silicates; epidote
27
which silicate sub-class does tourmaline belong to?
cyclosilicates (ring silicates)
28
what is unique about the structure of tectosilicates?
they have all 4 oxygen atoms shared between tetrahedra, forming a 3D framework
29
what is magma mixing?
the process of 2 distinct magmas combining to form a new composition
30
what does assimilation in magma differentiation involve?
incorporation of surrounding country rock into magma
31
define country rock
the rock native to an area (a granite mountain)
32
how does fractional crystallization impact maga diversity?
it removes specific minerals from the melt, altering its chemical composition
33
what is the primary mineral used to study Earth's early history?
zircon, due to its ability to survive extreme conditions
34
what element in zircons is used for U-Pb dating?
Uranium
35
Why don't zircons initially contain lead (Pb)
lead is excluded during crystallization, making U-pb dating accurate
36
What does the liquidus line represent in a phase diagram
the temperature above which a material is completely liquid
37
in a eutectic system, what happens at the eutectic point?
both solid phases crystallize simultaneously at a specific temperature and composition
38
why are phase diagrams useful in petrology
they predict crystallization and melting behaviors in multi-component systems
39
what causes weathering in rocks?
physical (mechanical) and chemical processes break rocks into smaller particles
40
what is the role of erosion in the sedimentary cycle
transports sediments from their source to new lcoations
41
how does compaction contribute to lithficiation
reduces pore space between sediment grains, aiding cementation
42
What is the definition of a rock
aggregates of one or more minerals
43
what is a fluids role in metamorphism (3 parts)
1. mineral reactions by providing ions 2. metasomatism (chemical alteration by fluid) 3. lowering the melting point of rocks
44
List the 6 common silicate rock-forming minerals
1. quartz 2. feldspars 3. micas 4. amphiboles 5. pyroxenes 6. olivine
45
what are the 2 kinds of inosilicates and provide an example for each
double chain: amphiboles single chain: pyroxenes
46
what is a phyllosilicate and provide 2 examples
sheet silicates; micas and chlorite
47
what is a tectosilicate and provide 2 examples
framework silicates; quartz and feldspar
48
what is fractional crystallization and what does it for?
the removal of crystals from melt alters composition and is used in the melt differentaion process
49
what is partial melting?
the melting of specific mineral changes magma chemistry
50
what is assimilation in the context of changing melt composition
incorporation of country rock into the magma
51
what is magma mixing
the interaction between 2 different magmas
52
explain what a 2-phase solid solution phase diagram is
temp increases = liquid line = liquidus middle = partial melted line = solidus temp decreases = solid
53
describe the 4 stages of the sedimentary rock cycle
1. weathering 2. erosion & transport 3. deposition 4. lithification
54
briefly tell me about one group of earth materials that are similar to minerals but don't quite fit the definition of a mineral
biominerals (organic and biological processes form it)
55
briefly describe how we classify minerals
1. chemical composition 2. crystal structure
56
write out mohs hardness scale
10 - diamond 9 - corundum 8 - topaz 7 - quartz 6 - feldspar 5 - apatite 4 - fluorite 3 - calcite 2 - gypsum 1 - talc
57
what is the age of the earth
4.6 billion years
58
name and describe the 3 levels of diaphaneity
1. translucent - can partially see through 2. transparent - can completely see through 3. opaque - can't see through
59
fill in the blank: _______ is a property where a mineral breaks long planes of weakness in the mineral's atomic structure
cleavage
60
fill in the blanks: pyroxenes have 2 planes of cleavage at ______ degrees from each other amphiboles have 2 planes of cleavage at _____ degrees from each other
pyroxenes: 90 degrees amphiboles 60/120 degrees
61
name and justify your reasoning for one test I could perform to tell the difference between a sandstone and a limestone
an acid test because limestone is made of calcite
62
draw examples (2D anything) with the following rotation axes: 4-fold: 3-fold:
4 fold: square 3 fold: triangle
63
briefly describe the following types of bonds (what are the electron behaviors) Ionic: Covalent: Van-der-Waals: Metallic:
Ionic: complete transfer of electrons Covalent: Sharing of electrons Van-Der-Waals: weak electrical forces Metallic: freely moving electrons
64
a piece of gypsum with a perfect "swallowtail" twinning. how do you know its twinning?
reentrant angles
65
true/false: crystals refer to share edges
false
66
crystals grow from metamorphism, either by recrystallization or coarsening of a mineral. Briefly describe two other ways in which a mineral grows
precipitation and crystallization
67
what is a polymorph
a mineral with the same chemical formula but different crystal structure
68
provide 2 examples of a polyhedra
tetrahedra: 4 octahedra: 6
69
true or false: plagioclase feldspars form a solid solution of Na and Ca cations
true
70
What (type of energy) is produced from a specimen that gives us the scanning electron microscope (SEM) energy Dispersive Spectroscopy chemical information?
x-ray
71
describe one clearly diagnostic way that I can tell the difference between biotite and hornblende in a granodiorite hand sample
cleavage because biotie had a sheety cleavage and flakes off easily while hornblende has 2 cleavage planes at 60/120 and so doesn't easily break off
72
why can we see smaller objects (objects a a smaller scale) with an electron microscope compared to a regular light microscope
electrons are smaller
73
name 3 of the silicate sub-classes and describe the type of cleavage/fracture associated with the crystal structure
sheet - basal cleavage framework - conchoidal fracture double chain - 60/120
74
true/false: an aphanitic rock texture describes minerals that are visible to the naked eye
false
75
true/false: pegmatites have very large crystals
true
76
name and describe the 4 geological processes which cause a melt to differentiate
1. magma mixing: when melts mix 2. assimilation: country rock is added 3. fractional crystallization: crystals leave the melt 4. partial melting: some of the melt is melted
77
on the QAP felsic plutonic rock naming diagram, what minerals do the letters Q, A, P stand for
Q - quartz A= potassium feldspar P= Plagioclase
78
reproduce bowen's reaction series
temp = high olivine pyroxene amphibole biotite muscovite feldspar quartz silica = high
79
what is a protolith
the parent rock
80
which of the following is the chemical formula for kyanite a. SiO2 b. Al6Si2O3 c. Al2SiO5 d. CaAl2Si2O8
c. Al2SiO5
81
which of the following is the chemical formula for anorthite a. Ca3Al2Si3O12 b. CaMgSi2O8 c. Al2SiO5 d. CaAl2Si2O8
d. CaAl2Si2O8
82
draw the rock cycle
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Geology Fall 24' (2 decks)

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