Mineral Groups and Rock Formation

Questions and Answers

What is the most abundant mineral group on Earth?

silicates

Most of the major chemical classes of minerals are defined by which chemical group that the mineral contains?

Negatively charged ion or group

What are rocks that form at or near Earth's surface by the cementing of grains or precipitation from water called?

sedimentary

Why is glass not considered a mineral?

it does not have a crystal structure Signup and view all the answers

What are crystalline rocks?

rocks whose grains grew to interlock Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the tendency of a mineral to break and produce smooth, curving, shell-shaped surfaces?

conchoidal fracture Signup and view all the answers

What type of rocks are held together by cement?

clastic rocks Signup and view all the answers

What type of rock forms by solidification of molten rock?

igneous Signup and view all the answers

Which type(s) of rock(s) may display layering?

Both B and C Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a mineral?

Salt (NaCl) Signup and view all the answers

What is the building block of the silicate minerals called?

silicon-oxygen tetrahedron Signup and view all the answers

What physical property is being checked when a mineral specimen is scraped along a ceramic plate?

streak Signup and view all the answers

Put the following elements in order of their abundance, starting with the MOST abundant: carbon, silicon, oxygen, iron, and hydrogen.

oxygen, silicon, iron, hydrogen, carbon Signup and view all the answers

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

metallic Signup and view all the answers

What is the most abundant element in the lithosphere?

oxygen Signup and view all the answers

Which two elements are the scarcest in the crust?

potassium and magnesium Signup and view all the answers

What building block of matter has either a positive or negative charge?

ion Signup and view all the answers

Which type of bond involves the sharing of electrons?

covalent Signup and view all the answers

What minerals commonly form chains, sheets, and rings?

silicates Signup and view all the answers

Which mineral group is composed of tetrahedrons?

silicates Signup and view all the answers

What two subatomic particles compose the nucleus?

protons and neutrons Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a class of minerals?

Chlorinates Signup and view all the answers

What is the tendency of a mineral to break along certain planes to make smooth surfaces called?

cleavage Signup and view all the answers

Why is color not always reliable when identifying minerals?

because the same minerals can be different colors Signup and view all the answers

Which element comprises about 27% of the crust?

silicon Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT provided by the periodic table?

Isotope number Signup and view all the answers

What type of fracture pattern is exhibited by synthetically made glass and natural quartz crystals?

conchoidal fracture Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered a mineral?

Petroleum Signup and view all the answers

The mineral olivine is in the __________ mineral class.

silicate Signup and view all the answers

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

Halite Signup and view all the answers

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

being scratched Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following common minerals is softest?

Talc Signup and view all the answers

Why is natural glass not considered a mineral?

does not have a fixed crystalline structure Signup and view all the answers

Minerals are grouped into mineral classes primarily on a basis of what?

chemistry, specifically the anions within the chemical formula Signup and view all the answers

For most minerals, the streak color obtained when the mineral is scratched against a porcelain plate is useful if the mineral is softer than what?

porcelain Signup and view all the answers

Calcite (CaCO3) is in which mineral class?

Carbonates Signup and view all the answers

What is required for minerals to be classified as naturally occurring solid substances?

a fixed crystalline structure Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Mineral Groups and Definitions

Silicates are the most abundant mineral group on Earth.
Major chemical classes of minerals are defined by the negatively charged ion or group they contain.
Sedimentary rocks form at or near Earth's surface from cementing grains or precipitation from water.

Mineral Characteristics

Glass lacks a crystal structure, hence not classified as a mineral.
Crystalline rocks have interlocking grains.
Conchoidal fracture is when a mineral breaks to produce smooth, shell-shaped surfaces.
Clastic rocks consist of individual mineral grains held together by cement.

Rock Formation

Igneous rocks form through the solidification of molten rock.
Sedimentary and metamorphic rocks can exhibit layering.

Mineral Examples

Salt (NaCl) is identified as a mineral.
The silicon-oxygen tetrahedron is the fundamental building block of silicate minerals.
Streak refers to the color of a mineral’s powder obtained by scraping it on a ceramic plate.

Chemical Composition in Lithosphere

The order of abundance of elements in the crust: oxygen, silicon, iron, hydrogen, carbon.
Oxygen is the most abundant element in the lithosphere.
Potassium and magnesium are the scarcest elements in the Earth's crust.

Atomic Structure

Ions are charged particles; they can be positively or negatively charged.
Covalent bonds involve sharing electrons, whereas gold exhibits metallic bonding.
The nucleus contains protons and neutrons.

Mineral Classes and Identification

Chlorinates is not a recognized mineral class.
Cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to break along smooth planes.
Color can be unreliable for mineral identification due to variations in the same mineral.

Specific Mineral Attributes

Silicon makes up approximately 27% of the Earth's crust.
The periodic table omits isotope numbers.
Conchoidal fracture patterns are seen in both synthetic glass and natural quartz.
Petroleum does not classify as a mineral.
Olivine belongs to the silicate mineral class, while halite is commonly known as table salt.

Hardness and Structure

Hardness in minerals measures their ability to resist scratching.
Talc is the softest common mineral.
Natural glass is not a mineral due to lacking a fixed crystalline structure.
Minerals are classified based on their chemistry, particularly the anions in their formulas.
Streak color is only useful for minerals softer than porcelain.
Calcite (CaCO3) is part of the carbonate mineral class.
Minerals are naturally occurring solids with a defined chemical composition and possess a fixed crystalline structure.

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Description

This quiz covers the essential characteristics of mineral groups, including silicates and other major chemical classes. It also explores rock formation processes, including igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Test your knowledge on minerals, their properties, and how they are classified.