Geology

Question 0

What is the hardness of a mineral?

Answer 0

The hardness of a mineral is its ability to resist scratching.

Question 1

List the five properties a substance must have to be considered a mineral.

Answer 1

1. naturally-occurring
2. inorganic
3. solid
4. internal atomic structure
5. definite chemical composition

Question 2

What is the name of the hardness scale?

Answer 2

Moh’s Hardness Scale

Question 3

What is the hardest mineral? What are the softest minerals?

Answer 3

Hardest- Diamond

Softest- Talc & Gypsum

Question 4

What is the cleavage of a mineral?

Answer 4

Cleavage is the ability of a mineral to break along preferred planes.

Question 5

What is the difference between “perfect cleavage” and “good cleavage”?

Answer 5

Perfect Cleavage- Minerals almost always break in a preferred direction.
Good Cleavage- Minerals will sometimes break in a particular direction and other times, may not.

Question 6

Name any two types of cleavage.

Answer 6

1. Blocky

2. Prismatic

Question 7

What is the luster of a mineral?

Answer 7

Luster refers to how light is reflected from the surface of a mineral.

Question 8

What are the two types of luster?

Answer 8

1. Metallic

2. Nonmetallic

Question 9

Minerals that have metallic luster look like…

Answer 9

metal

Question 10

What are the four types of nonmetallic luster?

Answer 10

1. Vitreous- luster of glass
2. Pearly- luster of pearls
3. Greasy- looks like covered in a thin layer of oil
4. Silky- luster of silk

Question 11

For some minerals, color is directly related to…

Answer 11

one of the major elements

Question 12

Why is color not a good way of identifying minerals?

Answer 12

1. Most minerals occur in more than one color.

2. Some colors of minerals change over time.

Question 13

What is the streak of a mineral?

Answer 13

The streak of a mineral is the color of the powder left behind on a streak plate when the mineral is scraped across it.

Question 14

Streak can be useful for identifying…

Answer 14

metallic and earthy minerals

Question 15

What is specific gravity?

Answer 15

Specific gravity is the “heaviness” of a mineral.

Question 16

What are two things specific gravity depends on?

Answer 16

1. the kinds of atoms that comprise the mineral

2. how atoms are packed together

Question 17

There are no minerals with the specific gravity of…

Answer 17

zero

Question 18

One way to test for halite is to…

Answer 18

taste it

Question 19

What is the study of rocks and minerals called?

Answer 19

geology

Question 20

What is the least reliable characteristic of a mineral?

Answer 20

Color

Question 21

What is the mineral that looked like plastic and is used in make up?

Answer 21

muscovite

Question 22

Which mineral is called fool’s gold?

Answer 22

pyrite

Question 23

Which mineral is attracted to a magnet?

Answer 23

magnetite

Question 24

What is one of the best properties used to indicate Calcite (aka Iceland Spar)?

Answer 24

if it reacts to hydrochloric acid by effervescing

Question 25

How do small crystals form?

Answer 25

rapid cooling

Question 26

Shiny minerals, such as pyrite, are said to have a metallic what?

Answer 26

luster

Question 27

Which mineral is actually common table salt?

Answer 27

halite

Question 28

In lab, the color of a minerals powder was determined by using what?

Answer 28

streak/ streak plates

Question 29

What mineral streaks red-brown and was used in the lab?

Answer 29

hematite

Question 30

Which mineral can be found inside your pencil and is used to write?

Answer 30

graphite

Question 31

Which two minerals can be scraped with your fingernail?

Answer 31

Talc & Gypsum

Question 32

Minerals are classified according to...

Answer 32

- streak - luster - hardness - cleavage - magnetic or not

Question 33

What is the name of the process that forms minerals?

Answer 33

crystallization

Question 34

How are large crystals formed?

Answer 34

Slow cooking

Question 35

What is a sign of a chemical reaction? What should you look for?

Answer 35

- dropping hydrochloric acid (or some acid) on a mineral | - look for bubbling/ effervescing

Question 36

How do minerals form near the mid-ocean ridge?

Answer 36

Minerals form near the mid-ocean ridge from solutions at places where tectonic plates spread apart.

Question 37

Describe conditions in which large and small crystals are likely to form.

Answer 37

Large crystals are likely to form from slow cooling. Small crystals are likely to form from rapid cooling.

Question 38

Describe how halite deposits form.

Answer 38

Halite deposits form over millions of years when ancient seas slowly evaporated.

Question 39

In general, what are the two ways in which minerals form?

Answer 39

In general, one way minerals form are through crystallization of melted materials. The second way is through crystallization of materials dissolved in water.