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Questions and Answers
Which mineral exhibits a green streak despite being purple or green in color?
What is the specific gravity of quartz?
On the Mohs scale, which mineral is ranked at 10 for hardness?
What term describes the arrangement of individual crystals in a mineral?
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Which of the following is a characteristic of non-metallic minerals?
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Which type of metallic mineral is iron combined with other metals?
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Which mineral is described as being opaque?
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What is the relative hardness of a fingernail on the Mohs scale?
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Which metallic mineral is not composed of iron?
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What characteristic describes minerals that allow light to partially pass through?
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What percentage of the Earth's crust is primarily composed of eight elements?
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Which of the following definitions best describes a mineral?
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Which of the following is a physical characteristic of minerals that refers to the external shape determined by internal arrangement?
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What is the term for the property of a mineral that describes its breaking along specific planes?
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What characteristic describes the shining quality of a mineral?
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How many major mineral groups are commonly recognized among the minerals in the Earth's crust?
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Which of the following terms refers to breaking irregularly when a mineral's internal molecular arrangement is complex?
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What is the primary source of all minerals found on Earth?
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Which mineral is characterized by a green color?
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Which of the following is NOT a property used to characterize minerals?
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What is the study of rocks called?
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Which process turns deposits into sedimentary rocks?
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What type of rock is granite classified as?
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What are sedimentary rocks primarily composed of?
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Which type of igneous rock is formed when magma cools at the Earth's surface?
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Which of the following is NOT a type of sedimentary rock?
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Which statement correctly describes metamorphic rocks?
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Which Latin word is the origin of the term 'sedimentary'?
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Which of the following is an example of chemically formed sedimentary rock?
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What characteristic distinguishes intrusive igneous rocks from extrusive rocks?
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What does the term 'metamorphic' specifically refer to?
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Which process involves the physical breaking and crushing of minerals without significant chemical changes?
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What kind of metamorphism occurs when rocks come into contact with hot magma?
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What is the main difference between contact metamorphism and regional metamorphism?
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What does foliation refer to in metamorphic rocks?
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Which of the following rocks is NOT classified as a metamorphic rock?
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What is meant by banding in metamorphic rocks?
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How do sedimentary rocks relate to the rock cycle?
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What outcome results when metamorphic rocks are subjected to high temperature and pressure?
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What is the primary source of igneous rocks in the rock cycle?
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Study Notes
Minerals
- The Earth's crust is primarily composed of eight elements: oxygen, sodium, calcium, iron, magnesium, silicon, aluminum, and potassium.
- Minerals are naturally occurring organic and inorganic substances with a defined chemical composition and physical properties.
- The Earth's interior magma is the source of all minerals.
- Approximately 2000 minerals have been identified, but the majority are associated with six major rock-forming minerals.
Physical Characteristics of Minerals
- External Crystal Form: A mineral's shape is determined by its internal molecular structure. Examples include cubic, tetrahedral, tabular, and hexagonal forms.
- Cleavage: Minerals break along specific planes where atomic bonds are weaker.
- Fracture: Irregular breakage occurs when mineral structure lacks cleavage planes.
- Lustre: A mineral's shine quality, described as metallic, glossy, silky, etc.
- Color: A mineral's color depends on its molecular structure. Some minerals have distinctive colors (e.g., malachite - green, azurite - blue). Impurities can lead to variations in color (e.g., quartz - red, white, green).
- Streak: The color of a mineral's powdered form. Can be the same as or different from the mineral's color (e.g., malachite - green streak, fluorite - white streak, chromite - brown streak, magnetite - black streak).
- Specific Gravity: Ratio of a mineral's weight to an equal volume of water. Unitless.
- Hardness: Measured by resistance to scratching. The Mohs Hardness Scale uses 10 minerals (talc, gypsum, calcite, fluorite, apatite, feldspar, quartz, topaz, corundum, diamond) to assess hardness.
- Structure: Refers to the arrangement of individual crystals within a mineral.
- Transparency: Categorized as transparent (light passes through, objects visible), translucent (light passes through but diffused, objects not visible), or opaque (light does not pass through).
Mineral Classification
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Metallic Minerals: Composed of metals, subdivided into:
- Precious Metals: Platinum, gold, silver, etc.
- Ferrous Metals: Iron-based alloys.
- Non-ferrous Metals: Metals excluding iron, such as copper, aluminum, lead, zinc, tin, etc.
- Non-Metallic Minerals: Composed of non-metals like sulfur, silicon, and phosphorus.
Rocks
- Definition: Solid mineral material composing the Earth's surface.
- Petrology: The study of rocks, including their mineral composition, structure, texture, origin, occurrence, alteration, and relationships with other rocks.
- Rock Age: Determined using carbon-14 dating.
Rock Classification
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Igneous Rocks: Formed from magma and lava.
- Intrusive Rocks: Magma cools and solidifies within the Earth's crust (e.g., granite).
- Extrusive Rocks: Lava cools and solidifies on the Earth's surface (e.g., basalt, Deccan Traps).
- Texture: Based on grain size and arrangement. Slow cooling at depth results in large grains, while rapid surface cooling leads to small, smooth grains.
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Sedimentary Rocks: Formed from weathered and eroded rock fragments.
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Types:
- Mechanically Formed: Conglomerate, loess, limestone, sandstone, etc.
- Chemically Formed: Potash, halite, etc.
- Organically Formed: Chalk, coal, limestone, geyserites, etc.
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Types:
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Metamorphic Rocks: Form from existing rocks undergoing pressure, volume, and temperature changes.
- Metamorphism: Recrystallization and reorganization of materials within original rocks.
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Types of Metamorphism:
- Dynamic Metamorphism: Breaking and crushing without significant chemical change.
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Thermal Metamorphism: Chemical alteration and recrystallization.
- Contact Metamorphism: Rocks interact with hot magma or lava.
- Regional Metamorphism: Recrystallization due to tectonic shearing, high temperature, or pressure.
- Foliation: Layered or linear arrangement of rock grains or minerals.
- Banding: Alternating thin and thick layers of different minerals, often appearing in light and dark shades.
Rock Cycle
- A continuous process of rock transformation.
- Igneous rocks are the primary rocks, forming the basis for sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.
- The rock cycle is driven by processes such as weathering, erosion, transportation, deposition, compaction, heat, and pressure.
- The rock cycle involves a constant interplay between igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.
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Description
Explore the fascinating world of minerals, including their composition, formation, and physical characteristics. Understand how external crystal forms, cleavage, fracture, luster, and color define the mineral's attributes. This quiz will test your knowledge about the Earth's crust and the various minerals that compose it.
