geology chapter 3: minerals

biotite

"black mica"; an important magic silicate with silicon-oxygen tetrahedra arranged in sheets

dolomite

1. a minral composed of CaMg(CO3)2; 2. a sedimentary rock composed primarily of the mineral dolomite

ionic bond

a chemical bond formed by electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions

covalent bond

a chemical bond in which electrons are shared between different atoms so that none of the atoms has a net charge

metallic bond

a chemical bond in which shared electrons move feely among the atoms

stable

a condition in which a rock or mineral exists in equilibrium with its environment

plagioclase

a group of feldspar minerals with a composition range from NaAlSi3O8 to CaAl2Si2O8

clay mineral

a group of hydrous silicates formed by weathering of minerals such as feldspar, pyroxene, or amphibole; silicate tetrahedra are arranged in sheets

pyroxene

a group of rock-forming silicate minerals composed of single chains of silicon-oxygen tetrahedra

mica

a group of silicate mineral exhibiting perfect cleavage in one direction

calcite

a mineral composed of calcium carbonate

silicates

a mineral containing silicon-oxygen tetrahedra, in which four oxygen atoms surround each silicon atom

oxide mineral

a mineral lacking silicon, but containing oxygen bound to a metal (hematite, magnetite)

mafic mineral

a mineral or rock rich in iron and magnesium silicates such as olivine and pyroxene

mineral

a naturally occurring inorganic solid having a definite internal structure and a definite chemical composition that varies only within strict limits; chemical composition and internal structure determine its physical properties, including the tendency to issue a particular geometric form(crystal form)

electron

a negatively charged subatomic particle

magnetism

a physical phenomenon produced by the motion of electric charge that results in attractive and repulsive forces between objects

proton

a positively charge subatomic particle

crystal faces

a smooth plane formed by growth of the surface of a crystal

amorphous solid

a solid in which atoms or ions aren to arranged in a definite crystal structure; glass, amber, obsidian

crystal

a solid, polyhedral form bounded by naturally formed plane surfaces resulting from growth of a crystal lattice

neutron

a subatomic particle that has no electrical charge but a mass almost the same as a proton

compound

a substance made of two or more elements bound together

conchoidal fracture

a type of fracture that produces a smooth, curved surface; quartz or obsidian

feldspar

a unreal group consisting of silicates of aluminum and one or more of the metal potassium, sodium, or calcium.

The most abundant mineral group in Earth's crust is: a) feldspar b) mica c) olivine d) pyroxene e) quartz

a) feldspar

One of the most important factors in limiting ionic substitution in a mineral is: a) the size of the ions b) the color of the ions c) the shape of the ions d) the number of neutrons the ions have e) the weight of the ions

a) the size of the ions

ion

an atom of combination of atoms that has gained or lost one or more electron and thus has a net electrical charge

gypsum

an evaporite mineral composed of calcium sulfate with water

halite

an evaporite mineral composed of sodium chloride

amphibole

an important rock-forming mineral group of magic silicates; amphibole crystals are constructed from double chains or silicon-oxygen tetrahedra (ex. hornblende)

quartz

an important rock-forming silicate mineral composed of silicon-oxygen tetrahedra joined in a three dimensional network; distinguished by it's hardness, glassy luster, and conchoidal fracture

olivine

an important silicate mineral with magnesium and iron

metastable

an object or mineral that is not in equilibrium with its environment

color

an obvious, yet not diagnostic, property of a mineral

Most rock-forming minerals are: a) sulfides b) silicates c) oxides d) carbonates e) none of the above

b) silicates

Which of the following common minerals is most easily dissolved in water? a) feldspar b) copper c) calcite d) hematite e) quartz

c) calcite

Cleavage is most conspicuous in: a) quartz b) chert c) mica d) granite e) chalk

c) mica

Which list shows the typical order for INCREASING density of the common states of matter? a) gas is denser than liquid is denser than solid b) liquid is denser than solid is denser than gas c) solid is denser than liquid is denser than gas d) solid is denser than gas is denser than liquid e) gas is denser than solid is denser than liquid

c) solid is denser than liquid is denser than gas

Some of the physical properties of minerals are more diagnostic than others. a) density b) hardness c) cleavage d) color e) streak

d) color

Which of the following is NOT a felsic mineral? a) feldspar b) muscovite c) quartz d) olivine

d) olivine

Which of the following minerals has the greatest density? a) feldspar b) muscovite c) quartz d) olivine e) clay

d) olivine

The most abundant element in the Earth's crust is: a) sulfur b) calcium c) sodium d) silicon e) oxygen

e) oxygen

density

mass per unit volume, expressed in grams per cubic centimeter

isotope

one of the several forms of a chemical element that have the same number or protons in the nucleus but differ in the number of neutrons and this differ in atomic weight

muscovite

one of two types of mica, it is where or colorless and found along with felsic minerals

recrystallization

reorganization of elements of the original minerals in a rock resulting from changes in temp. and pressure and from the activity of pore fluids

polymorphism

the ability of a chemical compound to crystallize with more than one kind of crystal structure

luster

the appearance of the light reflected from a mineral surface, described, for example, as dull, glassy, or metallic

streak

the color of a powdered mineral

crystal form

the geometric shape of a crystal (cubic, prismatic)

felsic minerals

the minerals feldspar and quartz or an igneous or metamorphic rock made predominantly of feldspar and quartz

melt

the molten liquid part of magma, or, as a verb, to become liquified by heat

atomic number

the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom uniquely defines an element

crystal structure

the orderly arrangement of atoms in a crystal

crystallization

the process of crystal growth; occurs as a result of condensation from a gaseous state, precipitation from a solution, or cooling of a melt

x-ray diffraction

the process of identifying mineral structures by exposing crystals to a beam of x-rays and studying the resulting diffraction patterns

ionic substitution

the replacement of one kind of ion in a crystalline lattice by another kind that is of similar size and electrical charge

atom

the smallest unit of an element

stability range

the spectrum of conditions over which a mineral or rock body is in equilibrium with its environment

solid

the state of matter in which a substance has a definite shape and volume and some fundamental strength

gas

the state of matter in which a substance has neither independent shape nor independent volume; can be compressed and tend to expand indefinitely

liquid

the state of matter in which a substance slows freely and lacks crystal structure; unlike a gas a liquid retains the same volume independent of the shape of its container

silicon-oxygen tetrahedron

the structure of the ion SiO4-2, in which four oxygen atoms surround a silicon atom to form a four sided pyramid, or tetrahedron

atomic mass

the sum of the number of neutrons and protons

cleavage

the tendency of a mineral to break in a preferred plane in the crystal lattice

nucleus

tightly packed protons and neutrons in an atom