Chapter 3: Minerals and Matter

Match the following silicate mineral groups with the inferred process of formation: A) product of higher-temperature igneous rock crystallization B) product of chemical weathering (phase change), an important component of soil C) a product of lower-temperature igneous rock crystallization, or metamorphism, and is resistant to weathering so is found in many sedimentary rocks. 1. clay minerals 2. olivine 3. quartz

1. B 2. A 3. C

Match the following definitions with the appropriate diagnostic property. A) the tendency of a mineral to break along smooth planar surfaces B) the color of a mineral in its powdered form C) the non-planar manner in which a mineral breaks D) appearance or quality of reflected light from the surface of a mineral 1. luster 2. streak 3. cleavage 4. fracture

1. D 2. B 3. A 4. C

A cubic centimeter of quartz, olivine, and gold weigh 2.5, 3.0, and 19.8 grams respectively. This indicates that __________. A) gold has a higher density and specific gravity than quartz and olivine B) gold is 6 to 7 times harder than olivine and quartz C) gold and olivine are silicates, quartz is elemental silicon D) olivine and quartz powders are harder than metallic gold

A

Each mineral in the feldspar group is very similar to each other in terms of physical properties. What is the only reliable visible difference between potassium feldspar and plagioclase? A) Plagioclase has characteristic "striations." B) Potassium feldspar has characteristic color. C) Plagioclase has characteristic cleavage. D) Potassium feldspar has characteristic hardness.

A

If non-silicate minerals account for only about 8% of the crust, what makes them considered important minerals? A) Many non-silicates have economic importance due to their occurrence as metallic ores. B) Non-silicate minerals have the same chemical composition, but different atomic structures than those of silicate minerals. C) Non-silicates are substantially larger in size than silicate minerals. D) Non-silicate minerals are not considered important at all.

A

Many silicate minerals, like olivine and plagioclase, are actually a family of minerals within the silicate mineral group. What about them makes them that way? A) They have nearly identical chemical compositions and identical physical properties. B) They are the same mineral, but different varieties. C) They have different chemical compositions and some similarity in physical properties. D) They have the same name, but their properties are all different.

A

The Crystal shape and atomic structure of the minerals galena and halite are related by which of the following? A) They have the same structure, but by different elements. B) They have different structures, but by the same elements. C) They have the same elements, but different structures. D) They have different structures and the same elements

A

The difference between covalent and metallic bonds is _______. A) covalent bonds are when atoms share the same electron(s), but metallic bonds are special types of covalent bonds where an electron is shared among several atoms in sequence B) covalent bonds are when atoms are attracted to each other electrostatically, but metallic bonds are special types of covalent bonds where an electron is electrostatically shared among several atoms in sequence C) metallic bonds are when atoms are attracted to each other electrostatically, but covalent bonds are special types of metallic bonds where an electron is electrostatically shared among several atoms in sequence D) metallic bonds are when atoms share the same electron(s), but covalent bonds are special types of metallic bonds where an electron is shared among several atoms in sequence

A

What is the difference between a "primary" diagnostic property and a "special" property of a mineral? A) A primary property is one that most minerals possess, whereas a special property is found in all minerals. B) A special property is one that all minerals possess but only under certain circumstances, whereas a special property is found in only one or a few minerals all of the time. C) A special property is one that all minerals possess, whereas a primary property is found in only one or a few minerals. D) A primary property is one that all minerals possess, whereas a special property is found in only one or a few minerals.

A

What makes one mineral different from another that allows us to distinguish them physically? A) A unique set of physical properties. B) Some similar physical properties. C) Similar hardness and cleavage, or nearly so. D) A non-unique set of physical properties.

A

Which carbonate mineral reacts readily with cool, dilute hydrochloric acid to produce visible bubbles of carbon dioxide gas? A) calcite B) quartz C) dolomite D) plagioclase

A

Why are "light" silicates much less dense than the "dark" silicates? A) They do not have Fe or Mg in them. B) They have Na and Ca in them. C) They have Fe and Mg in them. D) They do not have Ca or Na in them.

A

Why are physical properties such as hardness useful to geologists to identify minerals? A) Physical properties are controlled by the mineral's chemical composition and atomic structure, This combination is distinct in each mineral. B) Physical properties are controlled by the mineral's hardness, which is distinct in each mineral. C) Physical properties are controlled by the mineral's chemical composition, which is distinct in each mineral. D) Physical properties are controlled by the mineral's bond strength, which is distinct in each mineral.

A

Why are the non-silicate minerals subdivided into classes based upon anion or anion complex that the members have in common? A) Minerals in each class have similar properties. B) Non-silicate minerals are commonly grouped by luster. C) Minerals in each class have similar properties to those of silicate minerals. D) Non-silicate minerals are grouped by electronegativity.

A

All of the following are factors that determine the atomic structure of a mineral except _______. A) relative sizes of atoms and their proportions B) physical properties C) environment of formation D) chemical composition

B

All silicate minerals have the same fundamental building block, the SiO4 tetrahedron Which of the following is not a way in which this building block makes silicate minerals? A) Bonds into three-dimensional networks to form feldspar. B) Bonds into diamond shapes to form minerals like quartz. C) Individual tetrahedra bond with cations to form "island" silicates like olivine. D) Bonds into sheets to form mica.

B

Atoms of the same element, zinc for example, have the same number of __________. A) electrons in the nucleus B) protons in the nucleus C) neutrons in the outer nuclear shell D) electrons in the valence bond level

B

For an ideal atom, what determines its mass in "atomic mass units" (AMU)? The number of: A) protons B) protons plus neutrons C) neutrons plus electrons D) protons plus electrons

B

Glass is not a mineral because _______. A) glass is not considered a solid B) glass lacks an internal atomic structure C) glass does not have a chemical composition D) glass is not naturally occurring

B

Non-silicate minerals (including gold and pyrite) make up only about 8% of the crust. However, they tend to be economically important minerals. Which of the following is not a reason why these minerals are economically important? A) A high proportion can be found in sedimentary rock regions. B) These minerals are widespread in the crust, but occur mostly in sedimentary rocks. C) May be found in concentrated form as "deposits" that are mined. D) These minerals are used in the manufacture of household electronics.

B

Polymorphs are two or more minerals that have the same ______ but different ______. A) mass, mineral grouping B) chemical composition, atomic structure C) chemical structure, atomic composition D) atomic structure, chemical composition

B

The difference between ionic and covalent bonds is _______. A) ionic bonds are when atoms share the same electron(s), whereas covalent bonds are when atoms are attracted electrostatically due to positive and negative charges B) ionic bonds are when atoms are attracted electrostatically due to positive and negative charges, whereas covalent bonds are when atoms share the same electron(s) C) ionic bonds are when atoms are attracted electrostatically due to like charges, whereas covalent bonds are when atoms share the same nucleus D) covalent bonds are when atoms are attracted electrostatically due to positive and negative charges, whereas ionic bonds are when atoms share the same electron(s)

B

The main difference between minerals and rocks is ________. A) minerals are composed of aggregates of rocks, whereas rocks are generally composed of minerals B) minerals are composed of atoms bonded together, whereas rocks are generally composed of aggregates of minerals C) minerals are composed of aggregates of atoms, whereas rocks are generally composed of minerals bonded together D) minerals are composed of smaller numbers of atoms than rocks

B

Though both are polymorphs, diamond and graphite are different minerals because of each of the following except _______. A) They have different atomic structures. B) They have different chemical compositions. C) They have different atomic bonding styles. D) They formed in different environments.

B

To a geologist, each of the following is why the orderly internal structure of a solid's atoms is used to determine whether the solid is a mineral, except which one? A) Ordered atoms bonded into a structure control mineral appearance. B) Ordered atoms bonded into a structure determine the mineral's composition. C) Ordered atoms bonded into a structure control mineral properties. D) Ordered atoms bonded into a structure allow the determination of the mineral's origin.

B

What about a mineral would control its property to cleave or fracture? A) The alignment of covalent bonds into curved surfaces or not in the atomic structure. B) The alignment of ionic bonds into planes or not in the atomic structure. C) The alignment of ionic bonds into curved surfaces or not in the atomic structure. D) The chemical composition of the mineral.

B

What controls a mineral's property of hardness? A) The ability of a mineral to absorb light. B) The strength of the atomic bonds within the mineral. C) The interference of impurities in a mineral. D) The resistance to breaking.

B

Which cations bond most often with Si-O tetrahedral structures in silicate minerals? [Hint] A) Ca, K, Al, Si B) Fe, Mg, Ca, Na C) Fe, Mg, Ti, P D) Fe, K, Al, O

B

Which of the following best characterizes ferromagnesian silicates? A) They contain iron and magnetite, are black in color, and they have metallic lusters. B) They are black to dark-green, silicate minerals containing iron and magnesium. C) They contain magnetite and ferroite and they are clear to light green. D) They are mostly clear, colorless, and rich in the elements magnesium and ferrium.

B

Which of the following is not a fundamental particle found in atoms? A) neutron B) selectron C) electron D) protons

B

Which of the following is not considered a primary diagnostic property of minerals? A) Hardness. B) Magnetism. C) Cleavage. D) Streak.

B

Which of the following minerals is a silicate? A) hematite B) muscovite C) calcite D) halite

B

Which of the following minerals is in the mineral group known as mica? A) orthoclase B) muscovite C) augite D) olivine

B

Which one of the following is not true for minerals? A) They have a specific, internal, crystalline structure. B) They can be a liquid, solid, or glass. C) They have a specific, predictable chemical composition. D) They can be identified by characteristic physic al properties.

B

Why are silicate minerals the most abundant minerals in the Earth's crust? A) Na and Si are the most abundant elements in the crust. B) Si and O are the most abundant elements in the crust. C) Al and Si are the least abundant elements in the crust. D) Si and O are the least abundant elements in the crust.

B

Galena and halite have the same chemical composition and different crystalline structures. A) True B) False

B False

In a silicon-oxygen structural unit, silicon atoms occupy the corners of a tetrahedron. A) True B) False

B False

According to the Periodic Table of the Elements, the atomic weight of silicon (Si) is listed as 28.0855. If the atomic weight is supposed to be equal to the total number of protons plus neutrons, why isn't this a whole number? [Hint] A) The number is the average value of all silicon ions. B) The number of electrons is also included. C) The number is the average value of all silicon isotopes, weighted by abundance. D) There are 14.0855 neutrons in a silicon atom. E) There is an error in the calculation.

C

Atoms that are not neutral are called ions. What happens to change an atom into an ion? A) Neutrons are either lost or gained in the atom's nucleus. B) Either protons or electrons are lost or gained. C) Electrons are either lost or gained in the atom's outermost energy shell. D) Protons are either lost or gained in the atom's nucleus.

C

Minerals may form a crystal based upon their atomic structure. What controls the atomic structure in a mineral? A) The size of the atoms in the mineral. B) The rock in which it is found. C) An array of atoms bonded together. D) The number of atoms in the mineral.

C

Muscovite and biotite are in the same silicate mineral group due to their extreme similarity (the micas; sheet silicates). What is the only significant difference between them? A) The mineral's major anions. B) Different hardness and luster. C) The mineral's major cations. D) Muscovite has one cleavage plane, biotite has two.

C

The atomic number and atomic weight of an atom are determined by which of the following, respectively? A) number of neutrons, number of protons plus neutrons B) number of protons plus neutrons, number of protons C) number of protons, number of protons plus neutrons D) number of protons, number of protons plus electrons

C

What is the special property that allows one to identify calcite versus dolomite, the very similar carbonate minerals? A) Dolomite effervesces (fizzes) readily when HCl is applied. B) Calcite has three planes of cleavage at 60 and 120 degrees, whereas dolomite has two planes of cleavage at 60 and 120 degrees. C) Calcite effervesces (fizzes) readily when HCl is applied. D) Calcite has three planes of cleavage at 60 and 120 degrees, whereas dolomite has three planes of cleavage at 90 degrees.

C

What likely environment is implied by the presence of halite or gypsum in a sedimentary rock terrain? A) A volcano. B) A cooled magma chamber. C) An evaporated lake. D) A chemical weathering environment.

C

What mineral is the hardest known substance in nature? A) silicate B) native gold C) diamond D) muscovite

C

Which of the following best defines a mineral and a rock? A) A rock has an orderly, repetitive, geometrical, internal arrangement of minerals; a mineral is a lithified or consolidated aggregate of rocks. B) A mineral consists of its constituent atoms arranged in a geometrically repetitive structure; in a rock, the atoms are randomly bonded without any geometric pattern. C) In a mineral the constituent atoms are bonded in a regular, repetitive, internal structure; a rock is a lithified or consolidated aggregate of different mineral grains. D) A rock consists of atoms bonded in a regular, geometrically predictable arrangement; a mineral is a consolidated aggregate of different rock particles.

C

Which of the following is correct for isotopes of the same element? A) The atoms have different numbers of protons and the same number of neutrons. B) The atoms have the same number of electrons and different numbers of protons. C) The atoms have different numbers of neutrons and the same number of protons. D) The atoms have different numbers of electrons but the same number of neutrons.

C

Which of the following minerals is a ferromagnesian silicate? A) quartz B) orthoclase C) hornblende D) muscovite

C

Why aren't synthetic diamonds considered minerals? A) Synthetic minerals do not have chemical compositions. B) Synthetic minerals do not possess an internal ordered atomic structure. C) Synthetic minerals are not naturally occurring. D) Synthetic minerals are organic.

C

What minerals form by the breakdown and weathering of rock-forming silicate minerals and are important constituents of soils?

Clay

Most glasses and some minerals (like quartz, shown in the figure) exhibit a type of fracture characterized by nested and curved, cracked surfaces. What term describes this property?

Conchoidal

How is a mineral such as quartz physically different from all other minerals based upon the combination of its crystalline structure and chemical composition? A) Some minerals have a similar set of physical properties. B) Some minerals have a unique set of physical properties. C) Every mineral has a similar set of physical properties. D) Every mineral has a unique set of physical properties.

D

If there are nearly 4000 minerals identified to date, why is the crust dominated by only a few dozen "common" minerals? A) Most of these minerals include the 5 highest percentage elements found in the crust. B) These minerals include the most abundant elements in the crust. C) These minerals are "rock-forming" and are found in common rocks. D) All of these. E) The first and third answers ONLY.

D

Isotopes of an element differ by ________. A) number of neutrons plus electrons B) number of protons plus neutrons C) number of protons D) number of neutrons

D

The Mohs scale of mineral hardness is a relative scale of _________. A) the mineral's reaction with acid B) the mineral's crystalline solid form C) number of different atoms in the atomic structure D) resistance to abrasion (scratching)

D

The structure of an atom is ________. A) hydrogen B) isotopes C) a nucleus of protons and electrons, and a neutron "cloud" D) a nucleus of protons and neutrons and an electron "cloud"

D

The study of a silicate mineral's atomic structure and chemical composition permits geologists to draw inferences upon which of the following? A) The time at which it was formed. B) The order in which it was formed. C) The continent on which it was formed. D) The environment in which it was formed.

D

What makes one mineral different from another that allows us to distinguish them chemically? [Hint] A) Distinct crystal structure controlled by bonding. B) Distinct pressure and temperature conditions of formation. C) Distinct chemistry. D) All of these.

D

What makes the two major atomic bond styles different? A) Ionic bonds involve missing and gained electrons, but covalent bonds share electrons between atoms B) Ionic bonds are between positively-charged and negatively-charged atoms, but covalent bonds do not involve charges. C) Ionic bonds are "attractive" (electrical), but covalent bonds are "sharing" electrons. D) All of these.

D

Which mineral is composed of silicon dioxide (Si02)? A) calcite B) diamond C) olivine D) quartz

D

Which of the following is an accurate description of ionic bonding? A) Nuclei of bonding atoms exchange electrons; the resulting ions are bonded together by the attractive forces between the negative and positive nucleons. B) Atoms of two different elements share electrons and protons; the resulting compound is bonded together by the strong, binding energy of shared protons. C) Nuclei of two different atoms share electrons, and the resulting compound is tightly bonded by the very strong, induced, electronuclear bonds. D) Atoms of different elements, having gained or lost electrons, form negative and positive ions that are bonded together by attractive forces between ions with opposite charges.

D

Which of the following is not a reason why calcite and halite both have the same number of cleavage planes (3), but at different angles? A) different crystal structure B) different bonding geometry between cations and anion complexes C) different elemental composition D) different conditions of formation

D

Which of the following is not true about minerals? A) Minerals have a specific, internal, crystalline structure. B) Minerals have a specific, predictable chemical composition. C) Minerals can be identified by characteristic physical properties. D) Minerals can be liquid, solid, or glass.

D

Which of the following set of elements account for >98% of the Earth's crust, in descending order of abundance? A) Si, Na, Ca, K, Fe, Al, O, Mg B) O, Si, Fe, Mg, Ca, K, Na, Al C) diamond, quartz, calcite, halite D) O, Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Na, K, Mg

D

Why does quartz have a higher hardness than calcite? A) Calcite has a higher proportion of covalent bonds than ionic bonds than does quartz. B) Quartz is a silicate mineral, whereas calcite is a carbonate mineral. C) Quartz has all ionic bonds, and calcite has all covalent bonds. D) Quartz has a higher proportion of covalent bonds than ionic bonds than does calcite

D

Why does the ratio of Si to O vary from silicate mineral to silicate mineral? A) Each tetrahedron is separate from every other tetrahedron in a silicate mineral, so the ratio varies only if tetrahedra are bonded with extra Si atoms. B) Each tetrahedron is separate from every other tetrahedron in a silicate mineral, so the ratio varies only if tetrahedra are bonded with extra O atoms. C) Some tetrahedra bond with cations by losing an O atom. D) Each tetrahedron bonded to another tetrahedron does so by sharing an O atom, so the more sharing, the lower the ratio of Si-O.

D

Which of the following is not a reliable physical property of minerals? A) Translucency B) Hardness C) Cleavage D) Specific gravity E) Color

E

All atoms are elements. All atoms of the same element (e.g., oxygen or silicon) have the same number of ___________.

Protons