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Questions and Answers
Which of the following is a metallic mineral found in Camarines Norte?
What property does hardness refer to in minerals?
Why is color not a reliable characteristic for identifying minerals?
What is the purpose of the streak test in mineral identification?
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Which of the following describes a common crystal habit?
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What is the definition of a mineral?
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Which of the following statements about minerals is true?
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What is a characteristic feature of metallic minerals?
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Which two elements are the most abundant in the Earth's crust?
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What describes the arrangement of atoms in a mineral?
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How is luster defined in relation to minerals?
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Which of the following is NOT a physical property of minerals?
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What type of elements do minerals in dietary supplements derive from?
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Study Notes
Minerals Overview
- Naturally occurring crystalline solids essential for life.
- Dietary supplements contain human-made inorganic compounds derived from minerals in the Earth’s crust.
- Vitamins are organic compounds produced by living organisms.
Definitions and Characteristics
- Inorganic Processes: Result from the burial of organic materials leading to the formation of minerals like salts and calcium carbonate.
- Crystal Structure: Atoms must be arranged in a definite pattern, illustrated by quartz.
- Chemical Composition: Minerals consist of two or more elements; approximately 4,000 known minerals exist.
Element Composition in Earth's Crust
- Oxygen and silicon are the two most abundant elements, constituting over 90% of Earth’s crust minerals.
- Common elemental composition by mass includes:
- Oxygen: 40%
- Silicon: 27.7%
- Aluminum: 8.1%
- Iron: 6.0%
- Calcium: 3.6%
- Sodium: 2.8%
- Potassium: 3.4%
- Magnesium: 2.1%
- Other Elements: 6.3%
Mineral Must-Haves
- Must be naturally occurring, solid, and inorganic.
- Have a definite chemical composition with a well-defined crystalline structure.
Physical Properties of Minerals
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Luster: Depends on how light reflects on a mineral's surface.
- Types of luster include:
- Metallic (e.g., galena, pyrite)
- Non-metallic (e.g., silky gypsum, vitreous silica)
- Types of luster include:
-
Hardness: Mineral's resistance to scratching, determined by its composition and crystal structure.
- The Mohs Scale of Hardness ranks minerals from 1 to 10, based on scratch resistance.
Testing Hardness
- Scratch tests assess mineral hardness.
- Practical for field geologists; however, it’s qualitative rather than quantitative.
Color and Streak
- Color: Not the most reliable for identifying minerals due to impurities.
- Streak: The color of a mineral in powdered form used to distinguish types (e.g., metallic vs. non-metallic).
Crystal Form and Habit
- Refers to the overall shape and dimensions of crystals—length, width, height.
- Common crystal shapes include:
- Acicular (needle-like)
- Dendritic (plant-like)
- Reniform (kidney-shaped)
- Prismatic (elongated in one direction)
Key Metallic Minerals in the Philippines
- Gold deposits in Camarines Norte.
- Copper-gold deposits in Benguet.
- Chromite and other mineral deposits in the Zamboanga del Norte region.
Key Nonmetallic Minerals in the Philippines
- Limestone deposits in Pangasinan.
- Rare black and green marbles in various regions.
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Description
Test your knowledge on minerals and their role in dietary supplements. This quiz covers naturally occurring minerals, their inorganic processes, and their importance for sustaining life. Explore the difference between minerals and vitamins, and challenge your understanding of this essential topic.
