Geology 111: Chapter 4

A unknown mineral sample is scratched by copper wire, but not by a fingernail. Based upon the Mohs Hardness Scale, what is likely identity of this mineral?

Calcite

Rank by size from smallest to largest:

Electron atomic nucleus single atom of an element mineral

Electrons

Negatively charged particles in orbit around the nucleus of an atom

Neutrons

Parts of the atom that do not have a charge

Electron Shells

The different energy states of negatively charged atomic particles arranged around the nucleus of an atom

What are true of atoms, elements, and minerals?

an atom is the smallest unit of an element that retains the characteristics of that element. minerals are composed of chemically bonded elements an element is a type of atom that has a specific number of protons

The common non silicate mineral groups include which of the following?

carbonates halides oxides sulfides sulfates

The ____ family of minerals has a sheet-silicate structure so weakly bonded that the sheets easily slip past one another to give them a slippery fee, and their structure often expands when water is added.

clay

Which of the following mineral properties can be directly observed by the naked eye, without the need for testing supplies and equipment, and relate to the appearance of the mineral?

cleavage/fracture luster color crystal shape

Over 90% of Earth's ____ is composed of silicate minerals.

crust

Silicate minerals that are rich in magnesium and iron are _____ colored.

dark

The specific gravity of a mineral is that mineral's ____ compared to that of freshwater.

density

Which of the following is a characteristic of crystals and/or clasts that is not used in classifying a rock?

density

Minerals in vitamins are composed of individual chemical _____, whereas geologic minerals usually consist of two or more.

elements

The Periodic stable categorizes ____ based on their atomic number and chemical properties.

elements

Match the rock texture with the correct description: Clastic Crystalline

forms in low-temperature environments, at or near Earth's surface Forms in high-temperature environments; minerals are interlocking

Which of the following is not a required criterion for a substance to be classified as a mineral?

human-made

What is the most abundant element in the universe?

hydrogen

Name the four most abundant elements in the entire Earth. Use their full names instead of their symbols.

iron oxygen magnesium silicon

Which are true of the Periodic Table:

it includes an element's atomic symbol and atomic number it begins with the lightest element and advances to higher atomic numbers and heavier elements from left to right and from top to bottom grouped elements tend to have similar chemical properties (like the two different types of metals, the nonmetals, noble gases, etc.).

The most common minerals in the upper part of the continental crust are ____ - colored silicates. They are felsic in composition, and their color is a direct result. of their elemental composition.

light

Geologists and other scientists who study minerals are called ____.

mineralogists

Rocks are composed of ____, and minerals are composed of _____.

minerals and elements

Minerals that do not contain silicon are classified as ____.

non silicates

Rows on the periodic table correspond to the _____, whereas columns correspond to the _____.

number of electron shells and number of electrons in the outermost shell

Atomic Mass

number of positively charged plus neutrally charged particles in an atom

A substance that has well-defined geometric crystals is likely to have a(n) ____ internal structure.

ordered

Nucleus

part of the atom that contains the protons and neutrons

Protons

part of the atom with a positive electrical charge

Water makes a good cleaning agent and solvent because it is able to dissolve materials due to its ____.

polarity

Cations have loaned out electrons and so have a ____ charge, whereas anions have gained electrons and so have a ____ charge.

positive and negative

The mineral group that makes up over 90% of Earth's crust

silicate

This is the one word geologists use to describe how grains and minerals are arranged in a rock.

texture

If a mineral lacks planes along which it may cleave, what will occur?

the mineral will fracture in an irregular pattern

Which of the following best describes the materials that cover Earth's surface?

there are many different materials, and they vary by location