Minerals can you dig it? Flashcards
(49 cards)
In order to be considered a mineral a substance must possess 5 qualities. What are they?
Cystaline structure, Inorganic, Has to be solid, Naturally occuring, and has a set chemical formula.
You are working with a geologist out in the field and you come across a substance that pocessesses all the necessary qualitites to be considered a mineral, and is yellow and color. You know the mineral sulfur is also yellow in color. Is it safe to assume that this mineral is sulfur based on the color? Why or why not?
- Some minerals come in a varitey of colors.
- Many minerals are the same color.
Hypothetical question: I’ve laid out 3 minerals (graphite, magentite, and fluorite) and I’ve asked you to deermine the hardness of each one. What tools and steps would you use to go about doing this task? Be specific…
Use the Mohs hardness scale which is a scale of 1-10. 1 means that the mineral is soft and 10 means that the mineral is hard. Some tools we use are your fingernail (2.5), penny/copper (3), screw (4) and glass (5). We also use quartz which is a seven on the hardness scale. We will scratch the minerals against each other and whichever mineral scratches the other mineral is harder. If they scatch each other they are the same.
Look at the chemical equations:
H20 + CO2 = H2CO3
CaCO3 + H2CO3 = Ca(HCO3)2
In the first equation we have:
(water) + (carbon dioxide) = Carbonic acid
The second equation states:
Calcium Carbonate + Carbonic acid = Calcium Hydrogen Carbonate
Some minerals have very unique optical properties such as double refraction. (a): what mineral has this and (b): explain what is happening
Calcite has this unique property
When light enters it will split into two making a double image.
How small can you break a mineral until it no longer displays the specific shape?
On an atomic level.
What mineral has perfect octahedral cleavage.
Fluroite.
What mineral has perfect cubic cleavage.
Halite
What mineral has a rhombohedral cleavage.
Calcite has rhombohedral cleavage.
Cleavage is said to be ________ when it occurs parallel to the base like _____
Answer #1 = Basal
Answer #2 = Mica
Virteous is another name for _______
Glassy
When a mineral breaks down it does so by either ___ or ___.
Fracturing or Cleavage
Topaz has a hardness of __
8
What is matter and where can it be found?
Matter is something that has mass and volume.
Matter is all solids, liquids, and gases. The main thing that is not considered matter is forms of energy.
All matter on earth is made of ____
Elements are made of ____
1= Elements
#2 = Atoms
If 2 or more elements are bonded togehther they are called ____
Compounds
1 How many elements make up 98.5% of the earths crust?
#2 Oxygen is___
#3 Silicon is ___
1 8
#2 46.6%
#3 27.7
Some minerals consist of only one element and these are called ____
Some examples are ____
Native minerals
Some examples are Silver (Ag), Copper (Cu), Sulfur (S), and diamond (C)
What are the methods for identifying a mineral.
Color, Hardness, luster, streak, and cleavage/fracture.
What terms are there for the luster of a mineral.
metallic, earthy, waxy, glossy, virteous/glassy, and adamantine.
For determining the luster of a mineral we first need to consider if it is _____ or ____
If it is non metallic what ___ would we use to descibe it?
Metallic or Non-metallic
Term
What 2 ways can we obtain the true color of a mineral?
Streaking the mineral and powdering the mineral( crushing the mineral)
What is the hardness of a streak plate.
6.5
magentite is ____
Haltite tastes ____
Sulfur smells ___
Fluorite glows under ___ ___
Calcite has a reaction with ___
magnetic
salty
bad
ultraviolet light
acid
