MINERALS

Question 1

The most abundant mineral group on Earth is the

Answer 1

silicates

Question 2

The building block of the silicate minerals is called the

Answer 2

silicon-oxygen tetrahedron.

Question 3

When a mineral specimen is scraped along a ceramic plate to observe the color of its powder, the physical property being checked is

Answer 3

streak

Question 4

Which type of bond would you expect to find in gold?

Answer 4

metallic

Question 5

Which mineral group is composed of tetrahedrons?

Answer 5

silicates

Question 6

The tendency of a mineral to break along certain planes to make smooth surfaces is called what?

Answer 6

cleavage

Question 7

Which of the following is a mineral?

Answer 7

Salt (NaCl)

Question 8

Which type of bond involves the sharing of electrons?

Answer 8

covalent

Question 9

Crystalline rocks

Answer 9

are rocks whose grains grew to interlock.

Question 10

Rocks that form at or near Earth’s surface by the cementing of grains or precipitation from water are

Answer 10

sedimentary

Question 11

The nucleus is composed of which two subatomic particles?

Answer 11

protons and neutrons

Question 12

Which two elements are the scarcest in the crust?

Answer 12

potassium and magnesium

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a mineral?

Answer 13

petroleum

Question 14

Minerals are all naturally occurring solid substances with a definable chemical composition. They must also possess

Answer 14

a fixed crystalline structure

Question 15

Cleavage in minerals refers to

Answer 15

a tendency to break along planes of weakness.

Question 16

Which of the following minerals is more commonly known as table salt?

Answer 16

halite

Question 17

Which of the following minerals is a silicate?

Answer 17

olivine

Question 18

Using the Mohs hardness scale below, which of the following statements is FALSE?

Answer 18

Diamonds are twice as hard as apatite.

Question 19

Natural glass is NOT considered a mineral because it

Answer 19

does not have a fixed crystalline structure.

Question 20

The mineral olivine is in the __________ mineral class.

Answer 20

silicate

Question 21

Trace amounts of impurity in a mineral can commonly produce significant differences in __________ among individual crystals of this mineral.

Answer 21

color

Question 22

With regard to minerals, hardness refers to the ability to resist

Answer 22

being scratched.

Question 23

Potassium feldspar (KAlSi3O8) is in which mineral class?

Answer 23

silicates

Question 24

Which class of minerals is highly conductive because of metallic bonding?

Answer 24

native metals

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT true about minerals?

Answer 25

All minerals are compounds of more than one element.

Question 26

The tetrahedral structure that forms the backbone of all silicate minerals is composed of silicon and what other element?

Answer 26

oxygen

Question 27

Which of the following common minerals is softest?

Answer 27

talc

Question 28

The image below shows a mineral with hydrochloric acid applied to it. What mineral is this? (has gas bubbles)

Answer 28

calcite

Question 29

The __________ class of minerals includes a substance commonly known as table salt.

Answer 29

halides

Question 30

The mineral class that makes up more than 95% of rocks in the continental crust is termed the

Answer 30

silicates

Question 31

Calcite (CaCO3) is in which mineral class?

Answer 31

carbonates

Question 32

Pyrite (FeS2) is in which mineral class?

Answer 32

sulfides