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Questions and Answers
What is the most abundant mineral group on Earth?
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?
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?
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?
Why is glass not considered a mineral?
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What are crystalline rocks?
What are crystalline rocks?
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What is the term for the tendency of a mineral to break and produce smooth, curving, shell-shaped surfaces?
What is the term for the tendency of a mineral to break and produce smooth, curving, shell-shaped surfaces?
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What type of rocks are held together by cement?
What type of rocks are held together by cement?
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What type of rock forms by solidification of molten rock?
What type of rock forms by solidification of molten rock?
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Which type(s) of rock(s) may display layering?
Which type(s) of rock(s) may display layering?
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Which of the following is a mineral?
Which of the following is a mineral?
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What is the building block of the silicate minerals called?
What is the building block of the silicate minerals called?
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What physical property is being checked when a mineral specimen is scraped along a ceramic plate?
What physical property is being checked when a mineral specimen is scraped along a ceramic plate?
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Put the following elements in order of their abundance, starting with the MOST abundant: carbon, silicon, oxygen, iron, and hydrogen.
Put the following elements in order of their abundance, starting with the MOST abundant: carbon, silicon, oxygen, iron, and hydrogen.
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Which type of bond would you expect to find in gold?
Which type of bond would you expect to find in gold?
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What is the most abundant element in the lithosphere?
What is the most abundant element in the lithosphere?
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Which two elements are the scarcest in the crust?
Which two elements are the scarcest in the crust?
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What building block of matter has either a positive or negative charge?
What building block of matter has either a positive or negative charge?
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Which type of bond involves the sharing of electrons?
Which type of bond involves the sharing of electrons?
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What minerals commonly form chains, sheets, and rings?
What minerals commonly form chains, sheets, and rings?
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Which mineral group is composed of tetrahedrons?
Which mineral group is composed of tetrahedrons?
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What two subatomic particles compose the nucleus?
What two subatomic particles compose the nucleus?
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Which of the following is NOT a class of minerals?
Which of the following is NOT a class of minerals?
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What is the tendency of a mineral to break along certain planes to make smooth surfaces called?
What is the tendency of a mineral to break along certain planes to make smooth surfaces called?
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Why is color not always reliable when identifying minerals?
Why is color not always reliable when identifying minerals?
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Which element comprises about 27% of the crust?
Which element comprises about 27% of the crust?
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Which of the following is NOT provided by the periodic table?
Which of the following is NOT provided by the periodic table?
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What type of fracture pattern is exhibited by synthetically made glass and natural quartz crystals?
What type of fracture pattern is exhibited by synthetically made glass and natural quartz crystals?
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Which of the following is NOT considered a mineral?
Which of the following is NOT considered a mineral?
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The mineral olivine is in the __________ mineral class.
The mineral olivine is in the __________ mineral class.
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Which of the following minerals is more commonly known as table salt?
Which of the following minerals is more commonly known as table salt?
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With regard to minerals, hardness refers to the ability to resist?
With regard to minerals, hardness refers to the ability to resist?
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Which of the following common minerals is softest?
Which of the following common minerals is softest?
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Why is natural glass not considered a mineral?
Why is natural glass not considered a mineral?
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Minerals are grouped into mineral classes primarily on a basis of what?
Minerals are grouped into mineral classes primarily on a basis of what?
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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?
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?
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Calcite (CaCO3) is in which mineral class?
Calcite (CaCO3) is in which mineral class?
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What is required for minerals to be classified as naturally occurring solid substances?
What is required for minerals to be classified as naturally occurring solid substances?
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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.
