Deck 2: Matter and Minerals

Question 1

Atoms that share electrons have a(n)________ bond.

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

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which the following denotes the positively charged particles in an atom's nucleus?

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

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which electrons are responsible for most chemical bonding?

A)outer electron shell because these electrons can be readily exchanged with adjacent atoms
B)innermost electron shell because the electrons can be transferred to the nucleus
C)middle electron shell because they are intermediate in distance between the nucleus and the adjacent atom that bonds with the atom
D)Any electron can exchange with adjacent atoms to form a bond; there is no preference.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following minerals is not a chemical compound?

A)quartz (SiO2)
B)halite (NaCl)
C)graphite (C)
D)pyrite (FeS)

Question 5

The columns of the periodic table divide atoms by their ________.

A)number of valence electrons
B)atomic mass
C)number of protons
D)number of neutrons

Question 6

Element 17 (Cl)and 9 (F)________.

A)are chemically very different because they lie directly below each other on the periodic table
B)are chemically similar because they lie directly below each other on the periodic table
C)behave as metals because they lie on the right side of the periodic table
D)are chemically relatively inert because they adjacent to the inert gases on the periodic table

Question 7

Element 20,Ca,has what chemical property?

A)It behaves as a metal ion,giving up two electrons to form a +2 ion.
B)It tends to form covalent bonds and an ion with a charge of +1.
C)It behaves as a nonmetal,accepting electrons to form an ion with charge -2.
D)It tends to be inert,and thus is dispersed throughout the crust.

Question 8

Which of the following is a mineral as defined by a geologist?

A)boulder
B)concrete
C)sugar
D)salt
E)water

Question 9

Limestone is composed almost entirely of calcite which has the chemical formula CaCO3.As a result,limestone is classified as ________.

A)a mineral
B)a rock
C)both a mineral and a rock
D)neither a mineral nor a rock because it is organic

Question 10

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

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

Question 11

Why are boulders not a mineral?

A)They are not naturally occurring.
B)They are organic.
C)They are not solid.
D)They do not have an orderly crystalline structure.
E)They do not have a well-defined chemical composition.

Question 12

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

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

Question 13

When Calcium (Ca)bonds with oxygen,it gives up two electrons.What is the charge of the Ca ion in this compound?

A)+1
B)-1
C)+2
D)-2

Question 14

Be is to Mg as ________.

A)K is to Mg
B)Ti is to V
C)K is to Rb
D)Ti is to F

Question 15

The first minerals to be mined were ________ and ________.

A)gold,silver
B)copper,bronze
C)flint,chert
D)lead,quartz

Question 16

Atoms of the same element,zinc for example,have the same number of ________.

A)electrons in the nucleus
B)protons in the nucleus
C)neutrons in the outer nuclear shell
D)electrons in the valence bond level

Question 17

Which of the following is not a criterion for defining something as a mineral?

A)Naturally occurring
B)Hard
C)Generally inorganic
D)Orderly crystalline structure

Question 18

Heavy elements like Pb (lead)and U (Uranium)were generated ________.

A)by humans in nuclear reactors
B)during the big band when the universe was formed
C)by the Sun and expelled to the solar system via the solar wind
D)during collapse of a star and subsequent nuclear synthesis in a supernova

Question 19

Which one of the following is not true for minerals?

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

Question 20

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

A)A rock has an orderly,repetitive,geometrical,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 different mineral grains.
D)A rock consists of atoms bonded in a regular,geometrically predictable arrangement; a mineral is a consolidated aggregate of different rock particles.

Question 21

The resistance of a mineral to abrasion is known as ________.

A)luster
B)cleavage
C)streak
D)hardness

Question 22

The bond between sodium (Na)and Chlorine (Cl)to form halite (salt)is a(n)________ bond.

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

Question 23

The mineral fluorite is commonly sold in mineral shops as octahedral (8-sided)objects.This shape originates from ________.

A)the typical crystal form of fluorite
B)a pseudomorph (false form)of fluorite from replacement of a salt,potassium chlorite,that grows in octahedral crystals
C)the growth of fluorite in caves and is the form the crystals grow in the open cavern
D)cutting a larger crystal along four perfect cleavage planes,forming a cleavage fragment

Question 24

Geologists may choose to lick a mineral to identify it.What mineral is the geologist expecting with this test?

A)a sulfide bearing rock which will taste like rotten eggs
B)NaCl (halite)or KCl (sylvite)
C)None,it clears the dust off the sample so he/she can see if more clearly.
D)None,they are clearing the hydrochloric acid from the sample to rerun a test for calcite.

Question 25

The most unreliable (variable)diagnostic property of minerals such as quartz is ________.

A)hardness
B)habit
C)specific gravity
D)color

Question 26

Wood floats in water,1 gram is defined as the mass of 1 cubic centimeter of water,a cubic centimeter of quartz weighs ~2.65 g and a cubic centimeter of galena weighs about 7.5 g.The density of these materials from highest to lowest is ________.

A)wood,quartz,galena,water
B)galena,quartz,water,wood
C)galena,quartz,wood,water
D)water,wood,quartz,galena

Question 27

When a mineral fractures along a cleavage plane,what does this suggest about the crystal structure of the mineral?

A)The atoms are arranged in a simple orderly arrangement with uniform bonding.
B)The crystal structure contains planes along which chemical bonding is much weaker than other directions.
C)The crystal grows only planar faces that become weak zones that form cleavage.
D)The crystal contains warped planes called twin planes that weaken the crystal structure and allow it fracture along a planar surface,causing cleavage.

Question 28

Which of the following physical properties is not generally used to identify most minerals?

A)luster
B)smell
C)cleavage
D)hardness

Question 29

What does the tendency of micas to produce thin cleavage flakes suggest about its crystal structure?

A)The crystal structure is characterized by complex polymerized mats that form a sheetlike structure.
B)The structure is characterized by rings that form an interlocking network,forming planar sheets.
C)The structure is produced by flow in the igneous rock,aligning glass layers within the crystal structure.
D)The atoms are arranged in orderly arrangements that form strongly bonded sheets separated by weak bonds between the sheets.

Question 30

Why do the minerals calcite and dolomite bubble with the mineral or its powder are placed in hydrochloric acid?

A)Both minerals are sulfides,and the acid reacts to release sulfur dioxide gas.
B)Both minerals are metal hydrides,and when placed in hydrochloric acid they give off hydrogen gas.
C)The acid and the mineral together react with oxygen in the air,releasing CO2 gas.
D)The acid reacts with the mineral to release CO2 gas that is bound into the crystal as carbonate ion.

Question 31

Angles are important when looking at which physical properties of minerals?

A)cleavages
B)color streaks
C)bands of different luster
D)conchoidal fractures

Question 32

Quartz has a characteristic conchoidal fracture,yet rock shops often sell quartz as elongate six sided objects with a pointed termination.What causes this shape?

A)The rock shop cuts them that way with abrasives.The facets are cut to give the crystals more "power" for the crystal people.
B)The planar faces that form the object are crystal faces that grow when the crystals grew into a void.
C)Quartz usually is amorphous,consistent with its conchoidal fracture,but when it grows it grows against minerals with planar faces,causing this shape.
D)You should never buy a crystal like this because it is clearly fake,only artificial crystals grow this way.

Question 33

Atoms that have an electrical charge due to a gain or loss of electrons are called ________.

A)isotopes
B)ions
C)isochrons
D)periodic elements

Question 34

The bond between two hydrogen atoms (a covalent bond)is based on the force of attraction between ________.

A)two atoms
B)two nuclei
C)two ions
D)protons in the nuclei and electrons surrounding the nuclei

Question 35

When electrons are shared amongst all atoms,the resulting bond is a(n)________ bond.

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

Question 36

What mineral is the hardest known substance in nature?

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

Question 37

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

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

Question 38

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

A)streak
B)cleavage
C)cracking luster
D)habit

Question 39

One significant difference between an ionic bond,where electrons are taken from one atom and added to another atom,and a covalent or metallic bond,where electrons are shared,is ________.

A)ionic bonds are stronger than covalent or metallic bonds
B)ionic bonds produce ions but covalent and metallic bonds do not produce ions
C)ionic bonds make a material more malleable than covalent and metallic bonds
D)ionic bonds do not result in the attraction of oppositely charged atoms,but covalent and metallic bonds do

Question 40

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

A)luster
B)color streak
C)virtual absorption
D)fluorescence

Question 41

Silicates most commonly form ________.

A)at the surface of the earth
B)from other silicates
C)from cooling molten rock
D)under extreme pressure

Question 42

The most common group of rock forming minerals is ________.

A)carbonate
B)the silicates
C)the sulfates
D)the halides

Question 43

The basic building block of a silicate is composed of ________.

A)1 oxygen and 1 silicon
B)2 oxygens and 1 silicon
C)3 oxygens and 1 silicon
D)4 oxygens and 1 silicon

Question 44

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

A)gold has a higher density and specific gravity than quartz and olivine
B)gold is 6 to 7 times harder than olivine and quartz
C)gold and olivine are silicates,whereas quartz is elemental silicon
D)olivine and quartz powders are harder than metallic gold

Question 45

Clay is an example of ________.

A)a carbonate that forms from weathering of other carbonates
B)a silicate that forms from weathering of other silicates
C)a sulfate that forms from weathering of other sulfates
D)a halide that forms from weathering of other halides

Question 46

Gypsum,which is widely used in plaster and wallboard,is a member of the ________ group.

A)silicate
B)carbonate
C)halide
D)sulfate

Question 47

Sulfates always include ________.

A)SiO4-4
B)SO4-2
C)CO3-2
D)Cl-1,F-1,or Br-1

Question 48

Which of the following minerals is a silicate?

A)hematite
B)feldspar
C)calcite
D)halite

Question 49

Dolomite is a magnesium-rich member of the ________ group.

A)silicate
B)carbonate
C)halide
D)sulfate

Question 50

Clay minerals are light silicates that form ________.

A)from molten rock
B)from mechanical weathering of any rock
C)from chemical weathering of igneous rocks
D)from pressure and heat.

Question 51

Although it is relatively common,limestone is an economically important rock type because its major constituent mineral,________,is used in the production of ________.

A)halite,salt
B)calcite,calcium
C)calcite,cement
D)halite,halogen

Question 52

Dark Silicates have a specific gravity of 3.2 to 3.6 and are composed primarily of silica tetrahedral and ________.

A)iron and magnesium
B)aluminum and magnesium
C)aluminum and sodium
D)potassium and calcium
E)potassium and iron

Question 53

Which common mineral is composed entirely of silicon and oxygen?

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

Question 54

The most common group of silicates is ________.

A)feldspar
B)quartz
C)mica
D)granite

Question 55

Light colored silicates have a specific gravity of about 2.7 grams/cm3 are composed primarily of the silica tetrahedra and ________.

A)iron,magnesium,calcium,and sodium
B)aluminum,magnesium,calcium,and iron
C)magnesium,aluminum,sodium,and calcium
D)potassium,calcium,sodium,and aluminum
E)potassium,aluminum,magnesium,and sodium

Question 56

Carbonates always include ________.

A)SiO4-4
B)SO4-2
C)CO3-2
D)Cl-1,F-1,or Br-1

Question 57

Which one of the following mineral groups exhibits a sheet-like silicate structure?

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

Question 58

Which of the following is not a common rock forming mineral?

A)potassium
B)iron
C)carbon
D)magnesium

Question 59

Which two elements combine to make most of the common rock forming minerals in the crust?

A)carbon and oxygen
B)nitrogen and oxygen
C)silicon and oxygen
D)silicon and nitrogen
E)carbon and nitrogen

Question 60

Halides always include ________.

A)SiO4-4
B)SO4-2
C)CO3-2
D)Cl-1,F-1,or Br-1

Question 61

calcite feldspar quartz olivine

Question 62

Most substances are electrically neutral.

Question 63

Electrons orbit the nucleus of an atom much like planets around the Sun,with inner orbitals fixed and outer orbitals subject to exchange with other atoms to make compounds.

Question 64

Rocks are aggregates of minerals.

Question 65

Examine the words and/or phrases for each question below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option which does not fit the pattern.

-oxygen sulfur aluminum iron

Question 66

Which of the following is a renewable resource?

A)coal
B)ice
C)helium gas
D)rock salt

Question 67

quartz olivine feldspar calcite

Question 68

ionic metallic valence covalent

Question 69

amorphous bladed tabular cubic

Question 70

Examine the words and/or phrases for each question below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option which does not fit the pattern.

-electron atom proton neutron

Question 71

What theory dramatically improved geologist's ability to predict where certain ore deposits were formed?

A)geosynclines
B)faulting theory
C)plate tectonics
D)quantum mechanics

Question 72

A naturally occurring concentration of one or more metallic minerals that can be extracted economically is a(n)________.

A)reserve
B)ore
C)resource
D)tailing

Question 73

Deposits of which of the following minerals would never be considered an ore?

A)galena
B)hematite
C)chalcophyrite
D)quartz

Question 74

What kind of time span is required to produce most mineral deposits?

A)1-100 years,or about a human life span
B)tens of thousands to millions of years
C)billions of years
D)We have no way of knowing this,but most were formed at the same time as the Earth.

Question 75

In the late 20th century most metal prices were very low but metal prices increased dramatically in the early 21st century.Simultaneously,the early 21st century saw extensive "brown fields exploration" in which companies went to old mining areas and extracted old mine wastes or reopened old mine workings.What is the primary explanation for this activity?

A)The old miners were wasteful and left large amounts of ore in the ground.
B)The increase of metal prices made mineral resources that were previously uneconomic into ores that could potentially be extracted profitably.
C)Environmental regulations make it impossible to explore anywhere but old mining areas,so this was the only place the companies could look for deposits.
D)The companies were only interested acquiring properties through a sleazy land grab,and had no intention of doing anything with the deposits assuming no one cared about brown fields.

Question 76

Ore deposits of the element ________ do not require extreme concentrations because it is one of the most abundant elements in the Earth's crust.

A)aluminum
B)boron
C)carbon
D)uranium

Question 77

An element is defined by the number of electrons the orbit the nucleus.

Question 78

A mineral can be composed entirely of one element.

Question 79

The mass of an atom comes from its electrons.

Question 80

An atom with 30 protons always has 30 neutrons and 30 electrons.