Deck 2: Minerals: The Building Blocks of Rocks

Question 1

The electrons in the outermost shell of an element are referred to as ________.

A)aberrant electrons
B)positrons
C)non-bonding electrons
D)valence electrons

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Minerals consist of an ordered array of atoms or ions that are ________.

A)all the same size and charge
B)always packed together in cubes or octahedra
C)chemically bonded in a regular crystalline structure
D)physically attached to each other by shared protons

Answer 2

C

Question 3

In a neutral atom such as helium or native copper, the number of protons in the nucleus ________.

A)is usually greater than the number of neutrons
B)is different for each isotope
C)is equal to the number of electrons in the outer shells
D)increases from element to element by even multiples of 8

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which element is the first and lightest element in the periodic chart?

A)sodium
B)hydrogen
C)oxygen
D)helium

Question 5

Generally ions end up with the stable, noble-gas, configuration having ________ electrons in their outermost shell.

A)no
B)two
C)eight
D)twelve

Question 6

Which is not a requirement? To be a mineral it must be or have ________.

A)naturally occurring
B)well formed external crystal shapes
C)orderly regular atomic or ionic structure
D)definite chemical composition

Question 7

Which manufactured products contain minerals or elements extracted from mineral resources?

A)wooden chair
B)jacket
C)beer
D)aluminum pop cans, "pencil lead," baby powder, concrete

Question 8

Which of the following rock types are not comprised mostly of minerals.

A)limestone and rock salt
B)coal, obsidian, and pumice
C)sandstone and conglomerate
D)granite and basalt

Question 9

Atoms of the same element, carbon for example, always have the same ________.

A)number of electrons in the nucleus
B)number of protons in the nucleus
C)number of neutrons in its chemical bonds
D)atomic weight

Question 10

Which of the following denotes the tiny, but very massive, central part of an atom?

A)inner shell
B)core mass
C)valence shell
D)nucleus

Question 11

Which of the following is not a fundamental particle found in atoms?

A)neutron
B)selectron
C)electron
D)proton

Question 12

What, basic, atomic particles occupy space in an atom outside of the nucleus?

A)morons
B)electrons
C)protons
D)neutrons

Question 13

Which of the following denotes the massive, positively charged, nuclear particles?

A)protons
B)electrons
C)isotrons
D)neutrons

Question 14

Which of the following best defines a mineral and a rock?

A)A rock has an orderly, repetitive, geometric, internal arrangement of minerals; a mineral is a lithified or consolidated aggregate of rocks.
B)A mineral consists of its constituent atoms arranged in a geometrically repetitive structure; in a rock, the atoms are randomly bonded without any geometric pattern.
C)In a mineral the constituent atoms are bonded in a regular, repetitive, internal structure; a rock is a lithified or consolidated aggregate of minerals.
D)A rock consists of atoms bonded in a regular, geometrically predictable arrangement; a mineral is a consolidated aggregate of different rock particles.

Question 15

While there are 90 naturally occurring elements, these combine in various proportions and structures to make nearly ________ minerals.

A)470
B)4,700
C)47,000
D)470,000

Question 16

What is the name given to an atom that gains or loses electrons in a chemical reaction?

A)molecule
B)ion
C)proton
D)nucleon

Question 17

Which one of the following is false for minerals?

A)They have a specific, internal, crystalline structure.
B)They can be a liquid, solid, or glass.
C)They have a specific, predictable chemical composition.
D)They can be identified by characteristic physical properties.

Question 18

What are the lightest or least massive of the basic atomic particles?

A)uranium nuclei
B)protons
C)electrons
D)neutrons

Question 19

When two or more elements combine to form a mineral, they do so in definite proportions represented by a simple chemical formula for that ________.

A)compound
B)isomer
C)isotope
D)polymorph

Question 20

An atom's atomic weight is 13 and its atomic number is 6.How many neutrons are in its nucleus?

A)19
B)7
C)13
D)6

Question 21

The strong tendency of certain minerals to break along smooth, parallel planes is known as ________.

A)streak
B)cleavage
C)flat busted
D)crystal form

Question 22

Which minerals that make up the Mohs scale are softer than your fingernail?

A)beryl, garnet, tourmaline
B)calcite, fluorite, apatite
C)feldspar, quartz, topaz, corundum, diamond
D)gypsum and talc

Question 23

Minerals like diamond and graphite exist because of ________.

A)amorphous crystallization
B)different physical and chemical conditions or environments within the earth
C)the law of polymorphism
D)the metamorphism of coal

Question 24

When elements or compounds combine in the same proportions but in more than one structural arrangement, relative to each other, those mineral structures are called ________.

A)amorphous
B)bimorphs
C)isotopes
D)polymorphs

Question 25

What mineral is the hardest known substance in nature?

A)silicate
B)native gold
C)diamond
D)muscovite

Question 26

The property of ________ is controlled by planes of few or weak bonds within the mineral structure.

A)absorbency
B)bondage
C)cleavage
D)well formed crystal faces

Question 27

In ________ bonding one atom gives up electrons to another that receives them.

A)covalent
B)ionic
C)metallic
D)polymorphic

Question 28

In which type of chemical bonding are electrons shared between adjacent atoms?

A)ionic
B)subatomic
C)covalent
D)isotopic

Question 29

Which minerals that make up the Mohs scale are softer than a glass plate but harder than your fingernail?

A)beryl, garnet, tourmaline
B)calcite, fluorite, apatite
C)feldspar, quartz, topaz, corundum, diamond
D)gypsum and talc

Question 30

Which one of the following minerals has the greatest hardness on the Mohs hardness scale?

A)feldspar
B)calcite
C)gypsum
D)topaz

Question 31

Which of the following describes the light reflecting characteristics of a mineral?

A)lustre
B)streak
C)virtual absorption
D)fluorescence

Question 32

A mineral's hardness is determined by the number and the strength of chemical bonds, but how is it actually determined?

A)by whether or not it cleaves.
B)by weighing it on a Mohs scale.
C)by looking at its streak.
D)by its resistance to scratching or abrasion by other materials of known hardness.

Question 33

In ionic compounds, ________ have lost one or more electrons to acquire positive charge and a smaller radius than their neutral atom, while ________ have gained one or more electrons to acquire a negative charge and a larger radius than their neutral atom.

A)anions, cations
B)cations, anions
C)daughter isotopes, parent isotopes
D)stable isotopes, unstable isotopes

Question 34

The true colour of a mineral as seen in its powdered form is called it's ________.

A)birefringence
B)chatoyancy
C)iridescence
D)streak

Question 35

________ is the external expression of orderly internal arrangement of atoms in a mineral crystal.

A)Lustre
B)Streak
C)Habit
D)Colour

Question 36

Which minerals that make up the Mohs scale are harder than a glass plate?

A)beryl, garnet, tourmaline
B)calcite, fluorite, apatite
C)feldspar, quartz, topaz, corundum, diamond
D)gypsum and talc

Question 37

Which one of the following describes a mineral's response to mechanical impact?

A)lustre
B)cleavage
C)streak
D)crystal form

Question 38

Which of the following is an accurate description of ionic bonding?

A)Nuclei of bonding atoms exchange electrons; the resulting ions are bonded together by the attractive forces between the two electrons.
B)Atoms of two different elements share electrons and protons; the resulting compound is bonded together by the strong, binding energy of shared protons.
C)Nuclei of two different atoms share electrons and the resulting compound is tightly bonded by the very strong, induced, ionic nuclear bonds.
D)Atoms of different elements, having gained or lost electrons, are held together by their opposite charges.

Question 39

The two main types of bonding that form the structures in minerals are ________.

A)covalent and ionic
B)magnetic and gravitational
C)double and triple
D)radioactive and unstable

Question 40

The quality of light reflected from a mineral surface is called ________.

A)translucency
B)lustre
C)polish
D)reflectance

Question 41

Which response describes the geometric attributes of a tetrahedron?

A)4 plane faces, each an equilateral triangle, 6 edges, and 4 corners
B)6 plane faces, each a rectangle, 4 edges, and 8 corners
C)6 plane faces, each a square, 12 edges, and 8 corners
D)8 plane faces, each an equilateral triangle, 12 edges, and 6 corners

Question 42

The eight most abundant elements in the Earth's crust by weight are: ________.

A)Ba, Ca, Cl, Cu, F, H, Li, U
B)C, K, N, P, S, Sc, Ti,V
C)O, Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Na, K, Mg
D)Pb, Mo, Ag, Pt, Au, Ni, Cr, Zr

Question 43

What element is the most abundant in the Earth's crust by weight?

A)carbon
B)chlorine
C)oxygen
D)sodium

Question 44

Which of the following will react readily with acids such as hydrochloric?

A)calcite
B)quartz
C)diamond
D)talc

Question 45

Which carbonate mineral reacts readily with cool, dilute hydrochloric acid to produce visible bubbles of carbon dioxide gas?

A)calcite
B)quartz
C)dolomite
D)plagioclase

Question 46

Which group of minerals are the most abundant in the Earth's crust?

A)sulphides
B)carbonates
C)silicates
D)chlorides

Question 47

A cubic centimetre of quartz, olivine, and gold weigh 2.5, 3.0, and 19.8 grams respectively.This indicates that ________.

A)gold has a higher specific gravity than quartz and olivine
B)gold is six to seven times harder than olivine and quartz
C)gold and olivine are silicates, quartz is elemental silicon
D)olivine and quartz powders are harder than metallic gold

Question 48

Aluminum ions have what charge in most rock-forming minerals?

A)3+
B)4-
C)2+
D)4+

Question 49

All silicate minerals contain which two elements?

A)iron, silicon
B)silicon, sodium
C)oxygen, carbon
D)silicon, oxygen

Question 50

Cleavage is determined by ________ and ________ well formed planes of weakness in a stressed mineral structure

A)the iridescence, shape of
B)the hardness, thickness of
C)the number, angles between
D)the twinning, separation of

Question 51

Which mineral is easily soluble in water at room temperature conditions?

A)diamond
B)talc
C)halite
D)olivine

Question 52

Which group of silicates has the most sharing of corner oxygen atoms?

A)single chain like pyroxene
B)double chain like amphibole
C)sheet like mica
D)framework like feldspar

Question 53

Jadarite is similar to the fictional mineral kryptonite but lacks ________ in its chemical composition.

A)lithium
B)fluorine
C)boron
D)sodium

Question 54

Real kryptonite is a(n)________ while jadarite is a(n)________.

A)mineral, element
B)metal, rock
C)meteorite, moon
D)element, mineral

Question 55

________ is the ratio of a weight of mineral to a volume of water of equal weight.

A)Absolute mass
B)Characteristic volume
C)Specific gravity
D)Wet weight

Question 56

The tendency for a mineral like quartz to break in a smoothly curved manner is termed ________.

A)anomalous cleavage
B)conchoidal fracture
C)elliptical breakage
D)spherical cleavage

Question 57

The ion at the centre of a silicon-oxygen tetrahedron is surrounded by ________.

A)4 oxygen ions
B)6 oxygen ions
C)4 sodium ions
D)6 sodium ions

Question 58

Minerals like native gold or galena have high specific gravities because ________.

A)they are too dense for any water or air to fit into their structures
B)both are very strong and hard
C)they contain heavy elements
D)they both lack any cleavage

Question 59

Which of the following denotes the purity of gold used in jewelry?

A)carnot
B)carette
C)karat
D)carlot

Question 60

Which of the following has the highest specific gravity?

A)wood
B)water
C)gold
D)quartz

Question 61

Small, parallel grooves (twinning striations)are visible on cleavage surfaces and characteristic of which mineral?

A)olivine
B)quartz
C)plagioclase feldspar
D)hornblende

Question 62

Ferromagnesian minerals generally exhibit which of the following properties?

A)one perfect cleavage, colourless
B)dark colour, specific gravity higher than quartz
C)a light colour, metallic lustre
D)nonmetallic lustre, light colour

Question 63

Which one of the following is a sodium and calcium feldspar with twinning striations?

A)orthoclase
B)microcline
C)plagioclase
D)sanidine

Question 64

Garnet, a common hard metamorphic mineral used for abrasives, has an internal crystal structure most similar to which other silicate mineral?

A)augite
B)biotite
C)olivine
D)plagioclase feldspar

Question 65

What is the name of dark-coloured mica?

A)calcite
B)biotite
C)quartz
D)olivine

Question 66

Which of the following minerals are silicates?

A)hematite, magnetite, and corundum
B)muscovite, hornblende, and plagioclase
C)calcite, aragonite, and dolomite
D)anhydrite, gypsum, and barite

Question 67

Hornblende and the other amphiboles have what type of silicate structure?

A)metallic
B)sheet
C)3-D framework
D)double chains

Question 68

Which of the following is a single-chain, ferromagnesian silicate mineral?

A)clay
B)olivine
C)pyroxene
D)mica

Question 69

All ferromagnesian minerals contain which two elements?

A)calcium, sodium
B)iron, magnesium
C)iron, potassium
D)chlorine, silicon

Question 70

Which common rock forming minerals exhibit cleavage planes at nearly 60°/120°?

A)amphiboles like hornblende
B)feldspars like plagioclase and orthoclase
C)pyroxenes like augite
D)micas like muscovite and biotite

Question 71

Hornblende and the other amphiboles have what type of silicate structure?

A)metallic
B)sheet
C)3-D framework
D)double chains

Question 72

Which of the following minerals is a ferromagnesian silicate?

A)quartz
B)orthoclase
C)hornblende
D)muscovite

Question 73

Which common rock forming minerals exhibit a perfect single basal cleavage?

A)amphiboles like hornblende
B)feldspars like plagioclase and orthoclase
C)pyroxenes like augite
D)micas like muscovite and biotite

Question 74

Which of the following best characterizes ferromagnesian silicates?

A)They contain iron and magnetite, are black in colour, and they have metallic lustres.
B)They are high temperature black to dark-green minerals containing iron and magnesium.
C)They are mostly dark, heavy, and rich in the elements manganese and ferron.
D)They are dark and have a Mohs hardness greater than 7.

Question 75

Which element forms the strongest bonds with oxygen, based on its size and charge?

A)aluminum
B)calcium
C)potassium
D)silicon

Question 76

Plagioclase feldspars contain significant, variable percentages of which elements?

A)calcium and magnesium
B)sodium and calcium
C)sodium and sulphur
D)iron and magnesium

Question 77

In silicate minerals, cleavages occur ________.

A)across the dominant silicate structures
B)in between the dominant silicate structural units
C)in random directions, unrelated to the silicate framework
D)in between mineral crystals

Question 78

Which common group of rock forming minerals has simultaneous double substitution of Na? for Ca?² and Si?? for Al?³ in its structure and chemical formula?

A)carbonates
B)micas
C)plagioclase feldspars
D)pyroxenes

Question 79

Which common rock forming minerals exhibit cleavage planes at nearly 90°?

A)amphiboles like hornblende
B)feldspars like plagioclase and orthoclase
C)pyroxenes like augite
D)both B and C are correct

Question 80

In feldspars, what element can be thought of as substituting for silicon in the tetrahedral ionic sites?

A)carbon
B)aluminum
C)sodium
D)potassium