Components of a Mineral
What is an atom?
What is a mineral?
A naturally occurring solid that has a crystal structure and a definite chemical composition.
What is a mineral that produces a double image?
Calcite
What is a crystal?
A solid in which the atoms are arranged in a pattern that repeats over and over.
What is evaporation?
Process by which a liquid changes to a gas
What is an element?
Simple substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical means. Listed in the periodic table; can be liquid, gaseous, or solid.
What are the four defining characteristics of a mineral?
1. Naturally occurring
2. Inorganic
3. Solid
4. Defined chemical composition
What is the formula for density?
How many main crystal systems/groups are used to classify minerals?
6
What are the three ways minerals are formed?
Crystallization, evaporation, and precipitation
What is a molecule?
The smallest part of a substance that has all the properties of that substance; formed when two or more atoms bond together.
No, it is not. This is because small amounts of impurities can drastically change a mineral's appearance, making the same mineral differing in colors.
What is the Moh's scale? How is it used?
Moh's hardness scale ranks ten minerals from softest to hardest. They are ranked based on the scratch test- a mineral can scratch any mineral softer than itself, but can be scratched by any mineral that is harder.
What determines the shape of a mineral's crystal shape?
The internal arrangement of the atoms or ions.
Name one factor that affects the size of the crystals
Chemical composition, rate which the magma cools (slow cooling over thousands of years makes large crystals), etc.
What is a compound?
A substance made up of two or more elements that are chemically combined.
What is the streak of a mineral?
The color of the mineral in powdered form.
What is fracture?
The irregular or random way a mineral breaks when it does not follow flat, parallel atomic planes (cleavage).
What crystal structure has is a highly symmetrical build that forms a perfect cube?
Cubic crystal structure
What is precipitation?
Process that occurs when elements and compounds leave a solution and crystallize out to form solids.
Atoms are the fundamental building blocks of matter, while elements are pure substances made entirely of one type of atom.
Examples of terms used to describe luster
Metallic, glassy, waxy/greasy/pearly, submetallic/dull, silky, earthy, etc.
What is cleavage?
The tendency to break along smooth, flat parallel planes of weakness within their atomic structure, producing flat surfaces.
What crystal structure often appears slanted or elongated and is defined by three unequal crystallographic axes? Is it monoclinic or orthorhombic?
Monoclinic crystal structure
When magma cools slowly underground (caused through processes like cooling and evaporation)