Download 1. Which terms describe components of atomic structure? • Proton

GEOLOGY 12
CHAPTER 2 MINERALS
MAIN TOPIC QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
1.
Which terms describe components of atomic structure?
• Proton - positively charged particles in the nucleus of an atom; has a mass of one.
• Neutron - neutrally charged particle in the nucleus of an atom; has a mass of one.
• Electron - negatively charged particle, circling the nucleus of an atom, contributes
little mass to the atom.
• Nucleus - the center of the atom which contains protons and neutrons.
2.
Which terms are used to understand how elements are defined and how they
bond?
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atomic number - uniquely defines each element; equals the number of protons.
atomic mass number - the sum of the protons plus neutrons.
ion - any electrically charged atom; ions bond to form compounds.
cation - positively charged ion
anion - negatively charged ion
ionic bond ~ type of bond in which ions are held together by the attraction of
opposite electrical charges.
• covalent bond - type of bond in which electrons are shared.
3.
Which terms are related to the general definition of a mineral or are properties
of minerals?
• crystalline - describes solids in which the atoms are arranged in regular, repeating
patterns.
• glass - the opposite of a mineral because it lacks any orderly internal arrangement
of atoms
• polymorph - minerals having the same composition but distinctly different crystal
structures; diamond & graphite.
• streak - color of a powdered mineral, determined by scraping the mineral across an
unglazed tile.
• Moh's Hardness Scale - used to determine the hardness of a mineral by scratching
it across minerals of known hardness.
• crystal form - shape of well-developed crystals, related to the internal arrangement
of atoms
cleavage - the tendency of a mineral to break along preferred planes of weakness;
related to mineral's internal structure.
• luster - surface sheen of a mineral, described by terms like glassy and metallic.
• specific gravity - related to density of a mineral; equals the mass of a given volume
of the mineral relative to the mass of an equal volume of water.
4.
Which terms are examples of silicate minerals or silicate structures?
• silica tetrahedron - basic building block of silicate minerals; consists of 4 oxygen
atoms surrounding 1 silicon atom.
• olivine - silicate mineral in which tetrahedra are isolated units; simplest structure of
the silicate family.
• chain structure - one of several ways in which silica tetrahedra may be linked;
tetrahedra are joined in one dimension to make chains.
• amphibole - chain silicate with a double chain of silica tetrahedra.
• sheet structure - linkage of silica tetrahedra; tetrahedra joined in 2 dimensions to
make sheets or planes of tetrahedra.
• mica - sheet silicate
• feldspars - group of silicate minerals which have a framework structure; most
abundant minerals in the crust.
5.
Which terms are examples of nonsilicate mineral families?
• carbonates - minerals which contain the CO3 ion, such as calcite and dolomite,
which dissolve easily in acids.
• sulfate - minerals which contain the SO4 ion, barite (BaSO4).
• sulfide - minerals which contain a metal plus sulfur, without oxygen, like pyrite
(FeS) and galena (PbS).
• halides - minerals which contain a metal plus a halogen, such as halite (NaCI).
• oxides - minerals which contain a metal plus oxygen; magnatite (Fe3O4) and
corundum (Al2O3)
• native element - minerals which contain only one element; Au, Cu, Ag.
6. Which terms are used to classify rocks and to describe rock properties?
• porosity - proportion of holes or cracks in a material which are not filled by solid
material.
• permeability - measure of how easily fluids can pass through a rock
• tensile stress - forces acting on a rock to pull it apart.
• strain - deformation resulting from stress.
• elastic limit - point beyond which further stress on a rock will result in permanent
change.
• plastic deformation - one way in which rocks show strain; results in permanent
deformation.
• igneous. sedimentary, and metamorphic - the three major rock types.
• rock cycle - concept that rocks can be transformed by geologic processes into
other·types of rocks.
Geology 12
Chapter 2 Main Topic Questions
Page 2